Certification of Chief Executive Officer                         Exhibit (32)(a)
EastGroup Properties, Inc.

In  connection  with the  Annual  Report  of  EastGroup  Properties,  Inc.  (the
"Company") on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2005 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"),  I, David
H. Hoster II, Chief Executive  Officer of the Company,  certify,  pursuant to 18
U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that,
to my knowledge:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The  information  contained in the Report fairly  presents,  in all material
respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.


                                           /s/ DAVID H. HOSTER II
                                           -------------------------
                                           DAVID H. HOSTER II
                                           Chief Executive Officer
                                           March 9, 2006