Thailand is looking into proposals for a temporary ban on chicken egg exports coinciding with a planned freeze on domestic prices of the poultry product, government officials have disclosed.

The proposed ban could be for six months, media reports over the past two days said.

A drop in production, along with rising feed-meal prices, has led to increases in retail prices of eggs, said Vatchari Vimootayon, director-general of the Internal Trade Department.

A commitment from egg producers to halt exports until October should stabilize prices, the official was quoted by The Nation newspaper as saying.

Earlier, the Commerce Ministry proposed freezing egg exports until August, with domestic retail prices pegged at 3.10 to 3.20 bahts each for mixed sizes in fresh markets.

Thailand exports around 20-30 million eggs a month, although the Hen-Egg Farmers, Traders and Exporters Association has noted a sharp drop in foreign orders recently to just 6 million eggs a month, said a Bangkok Post report.

The recent orders came mainly from Hong Kong, Africa, and the Middle East, the association's honorary president Narong Jiemjaibunjong was quoted as saying.

Domestic consumption of eggs in Thailand averages 25 million a day, according to estimates by the producers.

Production has declined by 3 million eggs a day following heavy floods that recently hit chicken farms in the southern part of Thailand, exacerbated by hot weather in other areas that caused poultry disease outbreaks resulting in layers' deaths, according to the reports.

Under current plans, large companies that have future contracts will continue egg exports. Ms Vatchari said that will not affect domestic egg prices.