National executive council member of National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) Bharanikani Rama Rao has said the egg consumption should go up in the State.
Addressing a media conference here on Friday, Mr. Rama Rao emphasised the need to promote consumption of eggs in a big way, as they are affordable and loaded with nutrients. “It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to popularise the benefits of egg to make it a part of the daily staple diet,” he said.
Briefing about various events being organised as a part of awareness campaign by the NECC from World Egg Day that began on October 13 he said “the undivided AP used to be the top producer of eggs with nearly 8 crore a day in the country. However, the successor state of AP has now slipped to the second slot with a production of 4.5 crore eggs a day. Tamil Nadu occupies the top position, registering production of 5 crore eggs a day and Telangana stands in the third position with 3.5 crore eggs a day,” said Mr. Rama Rao.
According to the recent survey, the per capita consumption of eggs in Visakhapatnam city is 110. To tackle malnutrition, NECC appealed to the State government to increase the quantity of boiled eggs served as a part of the midday meal from the current three eggs a week to five eggs a week across all districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Vice-chairman of NECC, Vizag zone P. Seshagiri Rao said prizes and certificates will be given to winners of various contests on Nov. 6 to mark the birth anniversary celebrations of founder of NECC B.V. Rao.
Besides distribution of boiled eggs to children, cookery contests will be held for women in slum areas and other neighbourhoods along with elocution and essay writing competitions for students till November 14 as a part of the awareness drive.
(eom)
