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Ahead of Thanksgiving this week, shoppers may notice something missing from grocery store shelves.
A national egg shortage is reportedly leaving shelves empty at many grocery stores across the United States.
Reports of empty shelves also surfaced this weekend in Denver, Miami and New York, according to NBC News. In some cases, signs asked shoppers to limit their egg purchases due to “sourcing difficulties.”
Experts say the main cause of the shortage is avian influenza. H5N1 avian influenza has been widespread among wild birds, poultry, and many other animals in the United States for several years.
Recent outbreaks have been reported in Utah, Washington, and Oregon.
“Avian influenza is the biggest factor impacting egg prices right now,” agricultural economist Bernt Nelson told NBC News. “In the past few months alone, we’ve seen around 10 million birds affected by the virus alone. And we’ll continue to monitor what happens with avian influenza as migration continues.”
Mr Nelson said that while there was “still a very strong supply of eggs in the supply chain”, the issue had created “isolated pockets” where eggs were not readily available.
This opinion was echoed by the American Egg Board.
“America’s egg farmers understand that eggs are essential for holiday entertaining and baking, and we know some shoppers may be running out of their favorite eggs at the grocery store. We understand and share their frustration,” Mark Dresner, director of communications for the American Egg Board, told NBC Chicago in a statement.
Dresdner said it is estimated that 24 million chickens will be lost to avian influenza in the United States in 2024, including 5 million chickens since October.
“This has temporarily disrupted the supply of eggs in certain geographic areas and in states and stores that have restrictions on the types of eggs that can be sold. We understand how frustrating this is, but “We expect the shortage to be localized and short-lived. Egg farmers are working to replenish their stocks,” he said. “Because eggs are a perishable product, deliveries to grocery stores are frequent. Eggs typically arrive at stores within 72 hours of arriving at the farm, so egg cases fill quickly with eggs. It should be.”
The USDA also reported that avian influenza is responsible for the slowdown in egg production, which is down 2.6% compared to 2023 so far.
And even though supplies are dwindling, egg prices remain high.
The average price of 12 eggs this fall is up from last year, but still not the highest price in recent years.
Prices fell for the first time in months in October, following an average high of $3.82 in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although the price fell to $3.37 in October, this figure is still the second highest this year after January’s low of $2.52.
According to data from the ministry, prices averaged $2.07 per dozen in October 2023, but peaked at $4.82 in January of the same year.
In August, Caitlin Havel, a market research analyst at Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability, told CNBC that demand for eggs is considered “inelastic,” meaning that consumers He said that typically means buying the same amount regardless of price increases. On the other hand, he noted, consumers typically won’t stock up when costs are lower.
This means that small changes in the supply of eggs can cause large fluctuations in egg prices, he told CNBC, highlighting the impact of bird flu outbreaks on prices.
It remains to be seen whether prices will remain high until the end of the year.
“The thing about bird flu is that it’s always changing,” Nelson told NBC News. “We are riding the ebb and flow of this virus as we see these changes in the rise in infections.”
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