The Commerce Ministry is set to promote domestic egg consumption and beef up exports over the next two months to tackle the domestic egg price slump.
Whichai Phochanakij, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said domestic egg production has exceeded demand, which stayed at 48 million eggs a day since the middle of the year, as farmers have ramped up raising layers to about 57 million compared with 52 million layers last year.
The glut is estimated to number roughly 70 million eggs.
Egg prices have fallen, with ex-farm prices fetching only 2.30 baht per egg, much lower than raisers' production cost, which averages 2.8 baht per egg.
Yet traders have still been found to sell eggs at four baht apiece.
"Egg raisers are suffering from the price slump, while consumers still have to consume eggs at relatively expensive prices. Traders or the middleman take a profit worth 1.70 baht per egg," said Mr Whichai.
He said the aid package includes a plan to accelerate egg exports to 30 million eggs over the next two months, a promotion campaign for consumers to consume more eggs, and the sale of eggs through 40,000 Thong Fah Pracha Rat shops nationwide at 20 baht for 10 eggs.
The ministry expects to sell 20 million eggs through the Thong Fah Pracha Rat shops and another 20 million eggs through Thong Fah Pracha Rat fairs to be held in 22 provinces nationwide.
In a related development, Somsak Kiatchailak, deputy permanent secretary for commerce, said spending by state welfare cardholders at Thong Fah Pracha Rat shops, both through electronic data capture machines and via the Thung Ngern (Moneybag) Pracha Rat app that allows welfare cardholders to make payments via mobile phone, amounted to about 50 billion baht.
The best-selling products include milled rice, packaged rice, and processed food such as shrimp paste, fish sauce, red onions, and fruit.
The Thong Fah Pracha Rat shops are part of a 41.9-billion-baht aid package approved by the cabinet last August, aimed at 11.7 million low-income earners -- some 5 million of whom live below the poverty line.
Apart from providing low-priced consumer goods, the package also includes allowances for rides on public buses and trains, as well as utility subsidies.