U.S. egg prices fall for the first time in months but remain near record highs

Cashier Josh Jimenez rings up ovum for merchantability astatine a market store successful Dallas. LM Otero/AP hide caption

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LM Otero/AP

U.S. retail ovum prices fell successful April from the record-high prices they deed earlier this year, according to authorities information released Tuesday.

The mean terms for a twelve Grade A eggs declined to $5.12 past period aft reaching a grounds $6.23 successful March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was the archetypal month-to-month driblet successful ovum prices since October 2024.

Overall, the mean terms of eggs of each sizes fell 12.7%, the steepest monthly diminution since March 1984.

Still, retail ovum prices stay adjacent historical highs arsenic a persistent outbreak of vertebrate flu wipes retired flocks of egg-laying hens. The April mean terms for a twelve ample eggs was 79% higher than the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported for the aforesaid period a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile the terms averaged $2.86 per dozen.

David L. Ortega, a prof of nutrient economics and argumentation astatine Michigan State University, said helium thinks U.S. ovum prices volition proceed to autumn successful May and June. Consumer request tends to autumn aft Easter, which helps little prices, helium said.

Fewer vertebrate flu outbreaks astatine commercialized poultry operations successful caller weeks besides has helped to stabilize the country's ovum supply, Ortega said.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, determination were 59 vertebrate flu outbreaks astatine commercialized poultry operations successful February, 12 successful March and 3 successful April.

But Ortega said the advancement of the microorganism is uncertain, and prices could borderline up again if outbreaks grow again.

Bird flu has killed much than 169 cardinal birds since aboriginal 2022. Any clip a vertebrate gets sick, the full flock is killed to assistance support the microorganism from spreading. Once a flock is slaughtered, it tin instrumentality arsenic agelong arsenic a twelvemonth to cleanable a workplace and rise caller birds to egg-laying age.

Even 1 outbreak astatine a commercialized installation tin interaction supply, due to the fact that monolithic ovum farms whitethorn person millions of birds. Outbreaks connected 2 farms successful Ohio and South Dakota successful April affected much than 927,000 egg-laying hens.

Lowering ovum prices has been a peculiar absorption of President Donald Trump. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would put $1 cardinal to assistance farmers amended their biosecurity measures to combat vertebrate flu.

The U.S. has besides accrued imports of eggs from South Korea, Turkey, Brazil and different countries. According to Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute Sector Manager Kevin Bergquist, the measurement of ovum and ovum merchandise imports accrued 77.5% during the archetypal 3 months of the twelvemonth compared to the aforesaid play a twelvemonth ago.

The antitrust part of the U.S. Department of Justice is besides investigating Cal-Maine Foods, the largest U.S. ovum producer, which supplies astir 20% of America's eggs. Cal-Maine confirmed the probe successful aboriginal April..

Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine said its nett income much than tripled to $508.5 cardinal successful its astir caller quarter, which ended March 1.