USA: the rise in egg prices is linked to the impact of avian influenza
In the United States, the increase in egg prices in 2024 has been linked to the impact of avian influenza (AI) on the supply chain.
Egg prices have risen 28.1% over the past 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the current average price for a dozen large eggs now standing at $3.20, according to the bureau’s statistics.
Price increases have occurred partly due to high demand for the product, but also as a result of AI outbreaks on poultry farms across the country in recent months. “Avian influenza is, by far, the No. 1 reason for higher prices,” Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst, told CNN.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has affected more than 100 million birds across 48 states since January 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The disease has impacted total egg production, and lower egg production, in part, is driving prices higher.
However, AI is not the only factor pushing egg prices up. According to Emily Metz, President of the American Egg Board, inflationary pressures play a key role, as fuel costs are higher, alongside elevated labour and packaging costs. She adds that “egg producers are one part of the pricing, but prices do not depend on them alone, and the volatility we are seeing reflects a number of factors that are entirely outside the control of laying poultry farmers.”