The interregional division of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service continues a review into poultry pricing across seven farms in the Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions following a noticeable rise in chicken egg costs. The agency disclosed this plan through a report cited by TASS.
During the final months of 2023, price increases were recorded at several notable producers, including Galichskoe CJSC, Buyskaya Poultry Farm, Kostromskaya Poultry Farm, Ostrovskaya Poultry Farm, Susaninskaya Poultry Farm, Nerekhtskoye CJSC, and Poultry Farm LLC. The convergence of these hikes raised concerns about the stability of egg prices across the market and the broader implications for consumers.
FAS highlighted that from September through December, even without identifiable external shocks, wholesale egg prices for these firms rose by 18.84 percent to as much as 107 percent. This surge pushed consumer prices upward and, in turn, stimulated demand among the general population, a pattern the agency is keen to understand and monitor.
Currently, the average price of a dozen eggs in Russia sits in the range of 110 to 125 rubles. A representative of the Russian Poultry Association, Galina Bobyleva, characterized this level as fair and cautioned that there may be limited upside room before prices settle. She noted that stakeholders should not anticipate a quick drop in egg costs, given the current market dynamics and production costs.
In a related move, as of January 1, import duties on eggs entering the Russian Federation were reset to zero for a quota of up to 1.2 billion units, a policy intended to influence supply conditions and potentially affect future pricing.
Earlier reporting indicated that Belarus had increased its egg shipments to Russia in the preceding year, contributing to the broader supply narrative affecting price trends and accessibility in the domestic market. [Citation: TASS, government releases, industry observers]