Food - Drink
The Unfortunate Trend Surrounding Egg Prices
By KATHERINE BECK
You may want to scale back your egg usage as much as possible because there have been several factors affecting the prices of eggs in 2022 — from bird flu to rising costs for farmers. Farmers who raise chickens for their eggs rely on electricity for lighting and automation, as well as higher gas prices for transporting the eggs.
Data from the United States Department of Agriculture showed that 9.1 billion eggs were produced in August 2022, a decline of 2% compared to August 2021, due to the avian flu. Additionally, as of October 6, the price for eggs was at its third record high in 2022, at $4.18 for a dozen eggs, up from $1.67 the previous year.
Egg prices have risen by a jaw-dropping 39.8% over the past year, but luckily, there is some temporary relief in sight as egg inventories are starting to increase, which should, in turn, result in lower prices. However, the demand for eggs tends to be the busiest during the fourth quarter of the year, resulting in prices traditionally going up at that time.