`Egg-cited': Covid-19 pandemic pushes egg consumption by 20% in Andhra
Earlier, the consumption is 90 to 100 eggs per capita per year in urban areas, now it has increased to 110 to 120 eggs.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 18 Nov 2021 2:14 AM GMT
Vijayawada: The covid-19 pandemic has increased the consumption of eggs in parts of Andhra Pradesh by at least 20 percent.
The egg became part of the daily diet in the urban areas to build immunity against the Covid-19 pandemic given its protein content.
While the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recommended consumption of 180 eggs per capita per year, it is around 110-120 in urban areas and 60 to 75 in the rural pockets in the state.
Chairman of NECC, Visakhapatnam zone, T Uday Bhaskar said with doctors advising higher intake of protein to recover from the Covid-19, the demand for eggs has increased in the urban areas.
Earlier, the consumption is 90 to 100 eggs per capita per year in urban areas, now it has increased to 110 to 120 eggs. "We observed that people wanted to improve their immune system with protein-rich eggs. The consumption of the egg will further increase in the cities in the coming years and the poultry sector in the state will grow," he added.
Andhra Pradesh contributes over 19 percent of the total egg production in the country. The egg production in the state is five crore per day. Over 30-40 percent of the total egg production is exported to Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and other states from Andhra Pradesh.
Poultry dealers said despite the high production of the eggs in the state, consumption is yet to pick up in the semi-urban and rural pockets. The sector has been depending on the export of the eggs to other states, they added.
Egg is cheaper as it costs Rs 5 and contains many nutrients and zinc, which is an essential mineral required for the proper functioning of the enzymes in the body and keeps the immune system strong, said members of NECC.
Due to the myth, some people consider egg is a non-vegetarian food and avoid consuming it regularly. "We are appealing the parents of children to feed the egg to their child in the form of boiled one or other form for good health," they added.
Some people are consuming eggs laid by the country-birds citing they are protein-rich and tastier. Though the price of the country egg is costlier (Rs10 per each), its demand is more in the cities.
