Egg prices soar to record levels as bird flu ravages US flocks

Eggs are displayed for sale in a Manhattan grocery store on February 25, 2025 in New York City. The wholesale price for a dozen eggs in U.S. cities hit $4.95 last month. That is more than 50% higher than this time last year and is beginning to affect household budgets. [AFP]

US egg prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, with wholesale costs reaching over $8 (Sh1,032) per dozen as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to devastate commercial laying flocks across multiple states.

According to the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Chickens and Eggs report released Monday, the nation's egg-laying hen flock dropped to 363 million birds in January 2025, down 3.8 per cent from a year ago and the lowest level since 2016.