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The price of a dozen eggs in California has reached nearly $9 per dozen in some areas, as demand continues to rise amid an outbreak of avian influenza, or bird flu.
In its analysis of egg markets last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that the California benchmark for large shell eggs increased by $ 0.78 to $ 8.97 per dozen, due to a decrease in supply.
Those prices can be seen when you buy eggs online at supermarkets in all countries.
For example, Walmart in Chico, California, on Tuesday night listed an 18-count box of Great Value Cage-free Large White Eggs for $9.52, while a dozen of the same type of eggs from Great Value was listed for $7.22.
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Large amount of Cage Free eggs at CostCo store, Florida. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
At Safeway in the same city, an 18-count carton of Lucerne Farms Eggs Cage-Free Large White Eggs was listed for $12.99, although the dozen were not yet listed for sale on the retailer’s website.
Walmart and Safeway parent company Albertsons did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment on the egg price.
“Demand for shell eggs increased slightly in the last two weeks of the year, supported by concerns about tight supplies due to the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the flock,” the USDA wrote. “This herd loss, which comes at a time when it is most needed, has pushed prices past the levels recorded in December 2022 when the HAPI outbreak had a similar impact on the market.”
The FDA also reported this week that US egg production fell 4% in November as egg prices and bird flu cases continued to rise across the country.
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Test tubes labeled “Bird Flu” and eggs are seen in this image. (Photos by Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Reuters)
Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute Sector Manager Kevin Bergquist said egg prices have increased since 2023 due to a combination of seasonal price increases during the holidays and egg supply disruptions due to bird flu.
Last year’s prices “generally” remain above 2023 prices and “often exceed egg prices from 2022, which is when the HPAI took hold of the egg market,” according to Bergquist.
Supermarket egg prices, which jumped nearly 55% in November, do not reflect consumer egg prices at the grocery store, which can vary widely.
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In the hands of a woman packing eggs in a supermarket (iStock / Stock)
According to the Consumer Price Index, grocery prices rose 0.5% in November, with four of the 6 largest food groups increasing in cost. Eggs showed a significant increase in the number of eggs.
Meat, poultry and fish prices rose 1.7% in November, but egg prices rose 8.2%.
Before the major bird flu outbreak in March 2022, flock numbers were at a level that supported low egg prices, according to Bergquist. He noted that the total cost is less than $1.50 per dozen.
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However, the outbreak disrupted the market, leading to record egg prices in December 2022. The average price was adjusted to a lower level in 2023 as producers rebuilt their flocks.
Daniella Genovese of FOX Business contributed to this report.
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