Residents book eggs ahead to beat shortage

Residents book eggs ahead to beat shortage
By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Last updated: December 16, 2007, 23:13

Abu Dhabi: Residents have now turned to bookings eggs to purchase the food item.

Supermarkets and groceries must keep one more record in addition to their day to day accounts now that they are listing customers who book the eggs in advance.

The acute shortage of eggs has led to a new system of 'sale on booking', especially by small supermarkets and groceries, said market sources.

Those wanting eggs can reserve them by leaving their names and contact numbers with the grocer or supermarket. They will deliver a maximum of one tray when the stock arrives.

Some outlets took the opportunity to show loyalty to their regular customers. A grocery on Salam Street in Abu Dhabi, which displayed only one tray of eggs, told Gulf News it was kept for a regular customer who had reserved it.

Gulf News has learned that there is no uniformity of prices for local produce in the various emirates. The chaos has created a 50 to 100 per cent price rise in the past three weeks, said the sources.

A tray of 30 medium sized local eggs, which cost Dh12 to Dh13 earlier, now costs Dh18 to Dh22.

Wholesale dealers said medium sized eggs are scarce, but the larger ones are available for Dh24 to Dh28 per tray of 30, up from Dh15 to Dh17. Most of the groceries sell medium sized eggs for Dh1 each and the large ones for Dh1.25, said customers.

Some unscrupulous suppliers are trying to cash in on the shortage, some customers claim. "My grocer is selling a tray of medium sized eggs for Dh25 which is about 60 per cent more," said Abdul Majeed, a resident of Al Muteena in Deira.


Warning effect

The Ministry of Economy's warning has prompted some outlets to stop selling eggs at all to avoid penal action for price hike. "I have not been selling eggs for the past three days as I did not buy the stock at higher prices," said a grocer in Ras Al Khaimah.