NAMAKKAL: Just two months after the United States opened its doors to eggs from Namakkal, a proposed 50% import tariff has left local exporters worried that future orders from the US could dry up entirely.
In June 2025, Namakkal traders shipped their first consignment of nearly 1 crore eggs to the US. The container arrived by mid-July, passed all quality checks, and received approval from US authorities, raising hopes for steady orders and a strong new market.
Exporters say if the tariff hike had not happened, shipments could have continued for a few more months, at least until US production picked up, helping them build steady buyer relationships.
“The US is a big market for us, and when it opened up, we saw good export opportunities,” said Jahan R, secretary, Egg and Poultry Products Exporters Association.
“Namakkal sends eggs to Middle East, but because of the summer, demand has dropped and exports are down by nearly 50%. If US exports had continued, domestic prices could have stayed strong. For example, during the Shravan month, egg prices fall, but exports would have helped bridge that gap. Losing such markets is a loss,” he added.
Jahan said trade in eggs between India and US is not covered by a bilateral agreement, which means buyers and sellers bear all risks themselves. “If tariffs are implemented, no buyer will want to import eggs at such a high cost,” he said.
Vangili Subramaniam, president, TN Egg Poultry Farmers Marketing Society, said there are no further orders from US. “The chances of future orders are minimal,” he said, adding that “with the new tariff, price of a carton of 360 eggs (earlier about $35) will go up to $52.5, that is, up by $17.5.”
“Turkey has always been a major competitor to Namakkal, and its tariff is only 15%, that is, 35 points lower,” Subramaniam said.
Even though the first shipment to the US brought only a small profit, traders say entering new markets is important for growth. But they point out that getting into a new market is already a slow and costly process, and sudden tariff announcements make it worse.
Source – newindianexpress
