Egg prices have hit record highs in the wake of the ongoing avian-influenza outbreak that has already affected around 58 million chickens and turkeys across the entire country, reports The Wall Street Journal. Of those 58 million, over 40 million were egg-laying chickens, according to data from the USDA.
In the Midwest, wholesale large eggs hit a record $5.36 a dozen earlier this month. Across the supermarket, egg prices have outpaced any other item, and increased by over 30 percent from January to this month, according to IRI.
Because eggs are a staple product at grocery stores, many grocers have had to sacrifice profits in other departments to keep egg prices competitive.
“We are trying to keep eggs relatively accessible,” Dan O’Neill, director of center store and perishables at Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets, a chain of eight stores in Illinois, said. The market’s eggs are $5.09 a dozen when bought from suppliers, up from $1.30 at the start of the year. The store has recently been selling the item for only slightly above cost.
The rapid spread of the bird flu outbreak has been attributed to wild birds bringing the virus as they migrate across the country. Full Story (Subscription Required)
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