US Egg Prices Reach Record High Due to Bird Flu and Holiday Demand
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Sacramento, Dec 22 (NationPress) Egg prices throughout the United States have risen to their highest point of the year, largely influenced by extensive bird flu outbreaks and heightened demand during the festive season.
As of Friday, national wholesale prices for large eggs reached 4.07 US dollars per dozen, a significant jump from 1.1 dollars at the beginning of the year, based on data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This price increase, spurred by the effects of highly pathogenic avian influenza on commercial egg-laying flocks, has been particularly pronounced in coastal regions, with California and New York seeing the largest price hikes.
The industry has faced catastrophic losses in laying hens, with 36.8 million table egg layers gone across 12 states in 2024 alone due to bird flu and facility fires, as reported by the USDA, according to Xinhua news agency.
The timing of these losses is alarming, with 38 percent of total losses occurring since November 1, and 28 percent in December, coinciding with the peak season for egg demand.
Demand for eggs typically peaks during the holiday season when culinary activities increase. The USDA highlighted that demand surged as consumers prepared for the holidays, further straining an already stressed supply chain.
Earlier this week, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a state of emergency in response to the outbreak of Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly referred to as bird flu, which has affected 34 people in the state.
This declaration was made on Wednesday after cases were identified in dairy cattle on farms in Southern California, emphasizing the need for enhanced monitoring and a coordinated statewide strategy to control and minimize the virus's spread.
To date, there have been no confirmed instances of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in California, and nearly all affected individuals had contact with infected cattle, according to a press release from the governor's office. The state has already implemented the largest testing and monitoring system in the nation to tackle the outbreak.
As of Wednesday, the H5N1 virus had been detected in 16 states among dairy cattle, following its initial confirmed appearance in Texas and Kansas in March 2024, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Bird flu was first identified in the US wild bird population in South Carolina in January 2022, and subsequently in California's wild bird population in July 2022.
