India’s lift on egg ban brings welcome relief to baking industry
The Bakers Association of Kerala (BAKE) has welcomed the lift after a one-week ban began to threaten supplies.
The initial ban was implemented last week following an outbreak of bird-flu on a small farm in Hesarghatta, Bangalore. The country’s animal husbandry department culled 33,000 birds from the farm and the surrounding 1km radius. A ban on egg and poultry supplies from Bangalore’s state Karnataka and neighbouring Tamil Nadu was then imposed in fear of the disease spreading. Both states are major egg producing areas.
One week later, the ban now just covers supplies from the farm in Bangalore.
PM. Sankaran, president of the Bakers Association of Kerala (BAKE), welcomed the lift as the baking industry prepares for a busy Christmas period.
Supplies secured for Christmas
“We were afraid that if the ban was continued there would be problems with egg shortages for the bakery industry,” Sankaran told BakeryandSnacks.com.
“There was a good stock of eggs but after one week, levels had clearly tightened,” he said.
He noted that an egg shortage in the run-up to Christmas would not have been easy for bakers.
BAKE took immediate action when the ban was enforced and contacted Kerala’s chief minister. “We pointed out the practical difficulties the baking industry would face if the ban was not lifted,” the president said.
