H5N1 Culling Spikes Egg Prices

Rampant spread of the H5N1 virus is hitting consumers in their pocketbooks.

Retail egg prices across the country have sent Americans scrambling to buy eggs at any price, when they can find them.

Walter Sentyrz, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket owner: “I have between 1,000 and 2,000 people a day that come to my store looking for eggs.”

A jump in infections from the H5N1 avian flu virus has led to over 38 million laying hens and pullets to be slaughtered in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus according to USDA. Over 10 percent of the egg laying capacity in the United States has been destroyed.

Mike Vickers, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket manager: “Right now we can't get any organic. We can't get any cage-free. We can't get any brown. At this point, we're limited to large eggs, jumbo eggs, and 18 count eggs. And they just went up again.”

Egg prices have accelerated at the same pace as infections on the farm. Retail prices over $6.00 have become common as 14 million laying hens have been euthanized in each of the last two months.

Mike Vickers, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket manager: “It's the first time in my life that I've ever had to be kind of embarrassed on what I'm selling eggs for. And it's not our fault. We're paying today $7.45 for a dozen eggs. We're selling for $7.59. We're making $0.14. That's doesn't pay the bills.”

Over 145 million chickens, turkeys and other birds have been slaughtered during the current outbreak. California alone has lost 90 percent of its egg laying capacity.

A return to normal egg prices would require a rapid restocking of the laying flock or a reduction in egg demand. With the rate of infection increasing, egg prices will probably remain inflated for the near future. 

For Market to Market, I’m Peter Tubbs.