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50% Chances of new orders bleak after tariff hike, say industry insiders

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

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 the 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.