Josh Funk, Associated Press Business Writer
US egg prices rose again last month, reaching a new record high of $6.23 per dozen, although President Donald Trump’s forecast, falling wholesale prices and no egg farms have had avian flu outbreaks.
The increase reported on Thursday in the Consumer Price Index means that egg-dependent consumers and businesses should not expect immediate relief. Egg demand typically rises until after Easter, which will take place on April 20th.
Industry experts were hoping that the index would reflect a drop in retail egg prices as wholesale egg prices fell significantly in March. Jada Thompson, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas, said that wholesale prices hadn’t started to fall until mid-March, so even if prices fell at the end of the month, they might not have had enough time for the average monthly price to fall. And the grocery store may not have been given a low price right away.
The outbreak of bird flu was cited as the main cause of price spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-selling chickens were killed to prevent spread of the disease. Only 2.1 million birds were slaughtered in March, and were not on the egg farm.
The collapsed farm has worked to resume egg production after sanitizing the barn and raising new herds, but the chickens must be around six months before they can start laying eggs. Thompson said these farms didn’t come back online more than they expected. The latest USDA numbers saw only about 285 million eggs laying nationwide as of March 1st, down from 293 million the previous month. Before the outbreak, the herds typically counted over 315 million people.
Trump has tried to praise the USDA’s decline in wholesale egg prices reported in recent weeks. However, experts say the president’s plan to combat the avian flu is likely to help in the longer term by focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus.
“I think there are a lot of people who want to see the price of eggs want to win, and I think it’s a loss for everyone. We all want to see the price of eggs drop,” Thompson said.
Egg prices are still expected to fall later this spring, but the latest figures could also increase offering Cal maine foods and other large egg producers, which provide 20% of the country’s eggs.
Earlier this week, Cal-Maine acknowledged that it was being investigated by the antitrust unit of the U.S. Department of Justice, which is considering rising egg prices. Cal-Maine said it was helping out the investigation.
In the most recent quarter ended March 1, Cal-Maine said its net profits had more than tripled to $508.5 million compared to the same period a year ago. The company said revenues have increased to almost $1.42 billion, mainly due to rising egg prices.
Since the current bird flu outbreak began, more than 168 million birds have been massacred, most of which are egg-soaked chickens. When a bird gets sick, the entire flock is killed, preventing the spread of the bird’s flu. Large egg farms can have millions of birds, which can affect egg supply.
The disease is difficult to control as it spreads easily into the droppings of wild birds carrying the avian influenza virus. Avian flu is also infusing other animals, including dairy cows.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, egg prices reached $5.90 a month after setting a record of $4.95 per month. However, shoppers have come across much higher prices than in some locations. In California, some stores cost $12 per $12.
Early in the outbreak, egg prices reached $4.82 in January 2023, then gradually fell to $2.04 per dozen in August 2023. In general, prices are steadily rising.
Associated Press writer Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report.
Original issue: April 10, 2025 8:44am EDT
