Despite the High Prices of Eggs in Bulgaria - They are Still the Cheapest in the EU

Despite the increase in prices of eggs in January from 72.4%, on the annual basis, wholesale prices of Bulgarian eggs are among the lowest in the EU. This is what Ivaylo Galabov, chairman of the Union of Poultry Breeders in Bulgaria said for BTA.

"The big increase is due to the fact that the eggs in Bulgaria were very cheap in 2021. Then their market price did not cover their cost," explained the manufacturer.

According to Eurostat, egg inflation in January is an average of 30% for the EU. It is not the highest in Bulgaria - in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia is higher.

Galabov's claim for prices in Bulgaria is true if they are looked at without commercial packaging, transportation costs and VAT. "Some basic raw materials are currently reducing in price, and this will lead to increased production and retaining price. In case of greater cheaper grain, even a decrease in price can be expected. However, in war conditions, this is hardly realistic. Retail prices also include VAT, which in Bulgaria is highest in the EU. In fact, only Bulgaria and Denmark do not have differentiated rates for food," he says.

According to Galabov, the poultry sector is currently in good condition and is likely to generate over BGN 2 billion leva from sales. "Bulgarian poultry can fully provide the internal market with fresh eggs and chicken and duck meat," he said.

As the biggest problem for the sector, without an effective solution at the moment, Galabov emphasizes the spread of bird flu.

As for the ceiling of the price of certain food products that the government offers, the chairman of the Union of Poultry Breeds commented that any regulations of this nature are bad signals to investors, and even more "