Eggs on the Rise: A Bakery’s Battle and a Country’s Egg‑Export Dilemma
Madam Loh’s Daily Dilemma
Madam X.Y. Loh, a 56‑year‑old baker in Jurong, runs a cozy shop that whips up cakes, buns, pastries and a handful of other goodies. She’s a master of batter, but one thing’s got her scratching her head—and tightening her apron’s buttons: eggs.
- She uses over 100 eggs a day.
- Earlier this year, those eggs cost a little more than $300 a month.
- This month, the price has doubled, and she’s bracing for a bill beyond $600.
“I never would have thought eggs could get this expensive,” Madam Loh sighs, her voice tinged with a mix of annoyance and dry humor. “Maybe I’ll have to raise my prices soon,” she adds—just a little humor to lighten the frustration.
For small businesses, a spike in egg prices can chew up a significant chunk of earnings, especially during festive times when demand soars.
Export Restrictions Loom Over the Kingdom
In a move that could have ripple effects for bakers across the region, the Malaysian government is looking at restricting—or even halting—egg exports to ensure the domestic market stays stocked.
Key points from Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail:
- He will examine if temporarily stopping exports is reasonable and useful for price control.
- Past weeks showed a steady rise in egg prices in retail markets.
- Complaints surfaced in Penang, Sarawak, and Putrajaya about alleged cartel‑like behavior among suppliers, raising prices mid‑last month.
- Nationwide checks at production, distribution, and wholesale stages aimed to find the culprit.
- Should traders be profiting excessively, the ministry is ready to act under the Price Control and Anti‑Profiteering Act 2011.
Local egg farms, such as Seng Choon Farm and Chew’s Agriculture, provide roughly 26 % of Singapore’s eggs, while the remaining 74 % hinges on imports—mainly from Australian and Malaysian sources.
Eggs, the Singapore Table—A Quick Snapshot
- The average Singaporean consumes about 308 eggs per year (Agri‑Food & Veterinary Authority stats).
- Shin Min Daily News reported a wholesale price hike from 10 ¢ in April to 16 ¢ this month.
- Forewarned by a salmonella scare in a Johor farm, prices are expected to climb even further.
Before the factories paused export operation, they shipped roughly three million eggs to Singapore—about 6 % of the country’s overall imports.
What This Means for Bakers Like Madam Loh
In the delicious world of baking, eggs are the backbone—useful for leavening, binding, and that light, fluffy texture we all crave. When the price jumps, so does the cost of running the shop. “I’ll have to pass on the rise to my customers,” Madam Loh says with a mix of keenness and a wink, signaling that her prices might get a little “egg‑centric.”
Bottom Line
From the kitchen comfort of Jurong to the policy halls of Kuala Lumpur, a sudden spike in egg prices has become a headline that could affect anyone with a culinary passion—or anyone with a pantry full of eggs.