The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects egg prices to increase by 20% this year. Shoppers’ pocketbook pain is due to bird flu.
Oklahoma State University Agriculture Economics Specialist Scott Clawson said prices will not be going down as quickly as normal because of limited supply.
“Normally, in economics, we say high prices cure high prices. Because high prices encourage more production, more product to the shelves and then prices go back down,” Clawson said. “We might be in for a little bit of a longer run this time around because we just can’t seem to get to a point where we can ramp production back up.”
It takes roughly six months after birth for a hen to be able to lay eggs. Bird flu necessitates USDA recommended "depopulation" efforts, which means killing poultry to stop the spread of bird flu.
Clawson said consumers and farmers alike will have to wait patiently before supply increases.
“Even when we start to kind of settle things out, we’re still going to be several months away from being able to make an impact on the supply of eggs being able to hit the shelves,” he said.
The combination of a limited hen population along with seasonal factors, like the upcoming Easter season, will continue to make for a pricey trek to the grocery store.
