Egg prices jump 6 baht a tray as transport costs surge

Thailand’s network of layer chicken cooperatives has announced another increase in farm-gate egg prices, raising the price of mixed eggs by 20 satang per egg to 3.60 baht each, which will push retail prices up by 6 baht per tray from March 28.

The key reasons are a drop in egg output following the culling of laying hens, the introduction of new hens that are not yet producing at full capacity, and extremely hot weather, which has further reduced production.

Producers are also facing significantly higher transport costs following the recent fuel price increase, which has become another factor putting pressure on prices.

The network of layer chicken cooperatives, comprising the Chachoengsao Layer Chicken Cooperative, the Chon Buri Layer Chicken Cooperative, the Chiang Mai-Lamphun Layer Chicken Cooperative and the Noi River Basin Layer Chicken Cooperative, announced the 20-satang increase in the price of mixed eggs to 3.60 baht per egg.

This will result in a further 6-baht rise in retail prices per tray. The cooperatives said the increase followed the continued culling of hens, while newly raised hens have yet to reach full production. The hot weather has also reduced output, in line with market mechanisms. The new price will take effect on March 28, 2026.

Suthasin Amaruek, secretary of the Thai Egg Traders Association, said the sudden 6-baht-per-litre increase in retail diesel prices had sent shockwaves through the egg transport business nationwide, significantly increasing operating costs. Operators at all levels had been affected.

He said the situation had also created uncertainty for long-term business planning, as there was no way of knowing when fuel prices might rise again or by how much. Although previous price increases may not have had a clearly visible impact on consumption, this latest surge in fuel costs had made trading far more difficult.

On possible solutions, operators are calling on the government to urgently consider support measures for the transport sector, particularly fuel cost subsidies. Although there has been discussion of using coupons to provide assistance, there are concerns about how complicated such measures would be to implement, as most egg transport businesses are privately run and do not fully operate within the commercial transport system, making it harder for them to access state support.

Operators themselves are also trying to adapt in order to reduce cost pressures by improving route management, such as combining deliveries along the same route to cut the number of trips, which helps save fuel to some extent.

However, transporting more than 20,000 eggs per trip may run into restrictions under livestock movement regulations imposed by the Department of Livestock Development.

In addition, urgent orders often require separate delivery trips, making higher costs unavoidable. As a result, many operators have begun adjusting their pricing strategies, such as offering discounts when customers collect goods themselves or charging extra transport fees based on distance to offset higher costs.

Another major obstacle is the process for moving goods under the supervision of the Department of Livestock Development, which requires prior appointments with officials. This can lead to delays in some cases, especially in urgent situations, wasting time and adding to transport costs.

Operators are therefore urging the government to consider easing movement procedures while fuel costs remain high in order to improve distribution efficiency and reduce the heavy cost burden now squeezing the business.