Jumbangla Desk: Another 2 lakh 31 thousand 840 pieces of chicken eggs have been imported from India at the price of 7 and a half taka through Benapole land port of Jessore. From November 5 last year to October 19 this year, 9 lakh 89 thousand 310 pieces of chicken eggs have been imported in five consignments.

2 lakh 31 thousand 840 pieces of eggs of the fifth consignment entered Benapole port on Saturday (October 19) around 9 pm. Another 4 million eggs will be imported from the government's first announcement of 5 million eggs by next month. Already 9 lakh 89 thousand 310 pieces of eggs have been imported. To meet the shortage, the government has approved the import of another 4.5 crore chicken eggs. They will also be imported in stages.

Sources of the importing company said that each egg was bought from India at the rate of 5 taka 70 paisa. The import duty of each egg is 1 taka 83 paisa. All in all, the price of an egg is a little more than seven and a half rupees. In this situation, the importers have demanded duty waiver on the import of eggs like onions and potatoes.

According to Benapole Customs House sources, 9 lakh 89 thousand 310 chicken eggs were imported through Benapole port in five consignments of egg import from India in the current financial year. An importing company named 'Hydro Land Solutions' of Dhaka has imported the eggs.

Shah Alam, representative of the importing company Hydro Land Solutions, said, 'The Ministry of Commerce allowed the import of 50 lakh eggs within two months. The deadline expired on September 10 last month. Out of this, only two consignments have the opportunity to import about 3 lakh eggs. Imports are hampered by state conditions. For this reason, the ministry has extended the time for another two months in view of the application. which ends in November.'

He also said, 'Each egg was bought from India at the rate of 5 taka 70 paisa. But each egg has to pay a duty of 1 taka 83 paisa (including other expenses). If this duty is kept below 50 paise, the price of eggs in the market would have reduced a lot.' They have written to the government to waive the duty on eggs like onions and potatoes.

Exporter of eggs is Sri Lakshmi Enterprises of Kolkata. C&F agent Ratul Enterprises filed the necessary documents at the customs house for clearance of the consignment of eggs on behalf of the importer.

Traders said that although India imports each egg for 7 and a half rupees, each egg costs at least 3 rupees for transportation, labor, waste (waste eggs). Each imported egg is wholesaled at Tk 10.60 to Tk 10.70.

Masudur Rahman, revenue officer of Checkpost Cargo Branch of Benapole Customs, said, "The price of each imported egg, including taxation, has fallen to 7 and a half taka. The first shipment arrived on November 5 last year, followed by the second shipment on September 9 this year. Three more consignments of eggs arrived from India on October 6, 7 and 19. Last year, Dhaka's BDS Corporation imported 61,950 eggs from India at the same price.