A sudden order
Qatar needed far more eggs than usual for the World Cup crowds, and its usual suppliers were costlier: the war in Ukraine had pushed up egg costs in Turkey. Namakkal exporters, who already sent about 2 crore eggs a month to the Middle East and the Maldives, were ready.
Winning on a price you can deliver
A box of 360 eggs from Namakkal cost US$31 delivered at the port, against US$34 from Turkey. That is under one US cent an egg, but on crores of eggs it decides the order. In the month the tournament began, Namakkal’s exports rose by about 2.5 crore eggs, about 1.5 crore of them to Qatar.
Under one cent an egg. On crores of eggs, it decides the order.
Price gets you the call. Standards get you paid.
Cheap was not enough. Export eggs had to weigh about 52 grams, since bigger eggs break in transit, and carry printed packing and expiry dates for a 21-day shelf life. Farms sanitised vehicles at the gate and the district was certified free of bird flu. Without those, the price would not have mattered.
Points for a finance reader
- Know your landed cost to the cent. The deal was won on cost delivered at the buyer’s port, not on farm price.
- Be ready before the chance comes. Existing Gulf exports meant the paperwork and logistics were already in place.
- Standards are part of the price. Weight, dates and disease-free status cost money, and without them there is no sale.