Egg crisis in the USA: Prices Surge, Shelves Empty

In the USA, the culling of millions of chickens on farms due to the frequent outbreaks of avian flu has negatively impacted egg production and led to price hikes. As a result of the problems in the egg supply chain caused by the avian flu outbreak in the USA, markets in New York and surrounding areas have limited customers’ egg purchases, with prices for a dozen eggs reaching up to $10 in some outlets. In order to prevent avian flu in New York, some live poultry markets in certain counties were temporarily closed. Some markets have posted warning notes in the egg section stating that a customer can only buy a maximum of 3 cartons of eggs. It has been observed that most shelves where chicken products are stored are empty, with warning notes posted by some market managers stating that they are facing difficulties in finding eggs that meet health standards due to the avian flu. Statements made by some egg producers and farm animal production associations in the USA have indicated that millions of chickens are culled every month due to the spread of highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI), significantly impacting production on poultry farms nationwide. Furthermore, news reports in the American media highlighted that since 2022, 110 million egg-laying chickens have been culled due to the resurgence of avian flu, leading to some chain restaurants and fast-food companies that serve egg-based breakfast and sandwiches increasing their menu prices. In a report published by the USDA in December 2024, it was emphasized that there was a widespread avian flu outbreak in the country, and the decrease in egg stocks in the country was also attributed to this outbreak. On the other hand, data from the US Department of Labor showed a roughly 160% increase in egg prices over the past 5 years.