Egg prices in the United States rose again last month, reaching a new record of $6.23 per dozen, despite predictions from President Donald Trump, a drop in wholesale prices, and the absence of avian flu outbreaks on farms.
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The increase reported on Thursday in the Consumer Price Index means that consumers and businesses that depend on eggs should not anticipate immediate relief. The demand for eggs is usually high until after Easter, which falls on Sunday, April 20th.
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Why was a drop in egg prices expected?
Experts were expecting a drop in prices because wholesale egg prices fell significantly in March. Jada Thompson, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas, said that wholesale prices did not start to decline until mid-March, so there may not have been enough time for the average monthly price to decrease. And it is possible that grocery stores did not immediately pass on the lower prices.
Avian flu outbreaks were cited as the main cause of high prices in January and February, after more than 30 million laying hens were slaughtered to prevent the spread of the disease. Only 2.1 million birds were slaughtered in March, and none of them were on egg farms.
The farms that had outbreaks in the fall have been working to resume egg production after disinfecting their barns and raising new flocks, but the hens must be around six months old before they start laying eggs. Thompson noted that these farms did not become operational again as quickly as anticipated.
Trump tried to take credit for the drop in wholesale egg prices reported by the Department of Agriculture in recent weeks. However, experts say that the president’s plan to combat avian flu, focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus, is likely to be more helpful in the long run.
Since the current outbreak of avian flu began, more than 168 million birds have been culled, most of them laying hens. Every time a bird falls ill, the entire flock is culled to help prevent the spread of avian flu. This can affect the egg supply because massive egg farms can have millions of birds.
The disease is difficult to control because it spreads easily through the droppings of wild birds carrying the avian flu virus. Avian flu has also infected other animals, including dairy cattle.
Egg prices reached $5.90 in February, a month after setting a record of $4.95 per dozen, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But buyers found much higher prices than that in some places; in California, the price per dozen exceeded $12 in some stores.