If you don’t see a lot of Easter eggs this weekend, it could be because of rationing and high prices.
Today, we look at eggs and the rise of avian flu that began in 2023.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, in March, the consumer price index for eggs increased 5.9%, up 60.4% from a year ago, with an average price of $6.23 per dozen, up $0.33 per dozen from last month.
Iowa consistently produces the most eggs of any U.S. state. In 2019, chickens on its farms produced just over 17 billion eggs, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But the state’s flocks, like those elsewhere in the U.S., have been devastated by avian flu, leading to higher egg prices and some shortages.
Top states with highest prices per dozen and how much it’s gone up over the last year:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is believed that more than 168 million birds have been affected between January 2022 and April 16.
The cost of fighting avian flu
Chicken farmers are spending more money to protect their flocks, adding to the higher cost of egg prices.
Inflation and supply chain
Fuel, packaging and labor costs all have gone up considerably in the last few years. The price of corn went up to its highest price point in nine years in 2022. Wheat prices also have increased as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a global wheat producer.
Cage-free trend
The push for cage-free chickens has been around for decades, but it has gathered a lot of momentum in California.
California’s 2018 ban took effect in 2022. Only eggs from cage-free hens can be sold in California, no matter where they are produced.
The five largest shell egg-producing states are home to approximately 45.4% of all laying hens in the U.S., and the top 10 states comprise 66.2% of egg production.
