Hormuz disruption raises egg prices in Iraq

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Egg prices in Iraq have risen to around 80,000 Iraqi dinars (about $61) per carton following an increase in poultry feed costs linked to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Eco Iraq Observatory stated on Saturday.

In a statement, the observatory said prolonged disruption in the strategic waterway had increased the cost of key feed components. Soybean meal, a primary ingredient, rose from 550,000 dinars (about $420) to 700,000 dinars (about $535) per ton.

The price of premix, a blend of vitamins and nutrients used in poultry feed, also climbed from 1.5 million dinars (about $1,145) to 2 million dinars (about $1,530) per ton, according to the statement.

The official price for a carton of table eggs ranges between 60,000 dinars (about $46) and 65,000 dinars (about $50), depending on size. However, the observatory noted that cartons are currently being sold for around 80,000 dinars (about $61) by traders, describing them as speculators violating regulations set by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Eco Iraq urges the government to “authorize egg imports temporarily to reduce production costs and bring prices back to previous levels.”

Meanwhile, Iraq had reached record egg production, with output hitting approximately 7 billion eggs in August 2022. Authorities at the time permitted exports to Gulf countries, as a “policy aimed at strengthening domestic agriculture and boosting local production.”