Bhopal: Egg prices in the city are on the boil. The reason? Notebandi led to de-chickenisation.Buy a dozen these days and you get back only Rs 10 on a hundred-rupee note. The everyday staple now costs Rs 7.50 apiece, up from Rs 5 a few days ago, since it is in short supply. In the wholesale market, the price has shot up from Rs 3.50 to Rs 5.50 per piece.President of Poultry Farm Association, Rajendra Singh, told TOI that the shortage of hens began after demonetisation, and that the price rise is likely to continue in the coming months since egg production is expected to be lower this year. "After demonetisation, the market was down and we did not have the capacity to buy chicks, which has led to a shortage of hens this year. We did not even get good rates last year due to the note-ban," said Singh.There is just one hatchery in the state, in Jabalpur. "Even hatcheries do not have parent hens due to which there are fewer chicks in stock for poultry farms to buy. Earlier, it was very easy to get the desired stock, but now the hatchery is not able to fulfil our demands," Singh said, adding, "We buy one-day-old chicks and have to rear it for five months for it to start laying eggs. The investment is proving to be very expensive, which is why no new firms have come up this year."Egg lovers in the city aren't quite sunny side up after the hiked rates. "I eat eggs daily as I have a fixed diet according to my gym plan. It is an indispensable part of my daily meals. But the prices are burning a hole in my pocket," said Abhishek Kumar, a software developer.Egg traders, too, are in for a tough time. "The price of a boiled egg has risen by Rs 1 and that of an omelette by Rs 5. This has hit the sales by as much as 40%," said Sanjay Joshi, a vendor, adding: "We buy crates worth Rs 2,500 every day. Earlier we used to get 22 crates, now it has gone down to 15."According to Poultry Farm Association, the demand for eggs in Bhopal touches 8 lakh every day. The 10 farms in and around the city can meet only half this demand and the rest is bought from Hyderabad and Ajmer. Pradeep Chatraghar, a poultry farm owner, said, "Prices of eggs in nearby cities like Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur also affect rates in Bhopal. Every year, during winter, the demand for egg shoots up, which is why prices have risen so high this time."Sajid Khan, who runs an egg stall in P&T area said, "Due to the hike in prices, I have decided to shut my shop for a week since there is no profit in it. Customers look for a cheap and filling option when they come here, and they are not ready to pay more."Bakeries and restaurant owners across the city have not yet raised the prices of their egg-based dishes. "We have not received any order from the management to increase our prices as of now," said Sushil Rathore, cashier at a Bittan Market bakery. But there is no telling Christmas cakes will come at the same price.

Stay updated with all the Bhopal Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.