Scramble for eggs in Tobago, farmers upset

The THA-owned Hope Farm had the public scrambling for eggs on Tuesday as it announced a sale of $7 per dozen.

From as early as 8am, hundreds of people lined up outside the farm to take advantage of the sale. Although there was a limit of three dozen per person, with eggs retailing at supermarkets at around $22 per dozen the bargain was too good to pass up.

Although health officials were present to ensure covid19 protocols were followed, with just a three-hour window for the sale, it was difficult to control the crowd, which was boiling in the sun.

A source at the farm told Newsday well over 300 people turned up to buy and around 1,600 dozen eggs were sold by 11am.

Although the hot sun and the long wait had some frustrated, the majority stayed to collect their three dozen.

The sale continues next Tuesday.

Although consumers are grateful for the hugely discounted price, some Tobago farmers, who wished to remain anonymous, are not pleased about the sale, which they feel undermines their efforts. Others have got accustomed to the sale and are indifferent.

One farmer said the division is being unfair to small, medium and large farmers.

He said, “The division really cannot be competing with farmers. You are an agency tasked with implementing policies to the said farmers. I can understand when Hope Farm was doing that in the 80s when maybe you had one major farmer in Tobago, but now you have so many people doing this thing.”

He said he does not have an issue if the division wants to sell the eggs at market rate, but $7 per dozen was too low.

“If they say $5 under the market price (then okay). My retail price is $22 and that is of the last increase in feed. Feed prices has gone up by $20 a bag so I now pay $232 per bag, so if I am paying $232 per bag I cannot sell at $7 per dozen. Let’s say the division wants to go at $5 under the market rate, that’s fine but they cannot be going $7 per dozen when the market price is between $20 and $22. That is just unfair to the farmers.”

He added: “Put things in place. The division should be setting up things to make it easier for farmers to get better at what they do, not compete against the farmers.”

Another farmer said, “The price is good for consumer but awful for private egg producers and the general population – tax dollars are paying for these cheap eggs.”

Another farmer said frequent egg sales at that price would be detrimental to the private industry.

“If this continues for a prolonged period, they can put people in the egg business out of business and cause supply issues for supermarkets.

“The THA does not take into account the real cost of producing eggs. They do not care because it is not their money.”

Discussing the three dozen for $21 sale, another farmer added, "That’s about that same price for one dozen in the grocery. Who is absorbing that cost?”

When contacted, Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries Secretary Ancil Dennis said, “Hope Farm and its operations are under review.”