The Ministry of Agriculture has decided to import hatching eggs through the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB).

Thereby, arrangements have been made to import 176,000 hatching eggs instead of mother hens in a bid to solve the current shortage of chicken meat and eggs in the country.

NLDB chairman, Prof. H.W. Cyril mentioned that Sri Lanka is expecting 44,000 eggs per week within a period of one month.

A discussion was held at the Ministry of Agriculture this morning (June 08) to discuss the steps to be taken to eliminate the shortage of chicken meat and eggs in the country. Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera, and the Minister of State Minister for Livestock Development D.B. Herath and other respective officials were in attendance at this meeting.

Hatching eggs are being imported as the importation of mother hens delays availability of eggs and chicks, the Agriculture Ministry explained. This move makes it easier to get chickens for eggs and meat within a short period of time, the ministry added.

Thus, Minister Amaraweera has instructed the officials to take steps to provide the chicks obtained from this stock of 176,000 hatching eggs imported from the Netherlands to the private sector chicken farms, which were closed during the Covid-19 epidemic situation, at a subsidized price.

This stock of hatching eggs is to be received in Sri Lanka within the next month.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister has made arrangements to hold another discussion with the owners of poultry egg storage farms as well as the owners of egg producing farms at 11.00 a.m. tomorrow (June 09) to further discuss the matter.