Inflation, bird flu send egg prices skyrocketing
FILE - Fresh organic white chicken eggs on the counter. (Natasha Breen/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Easter is just days away and the price of eggs is skyrocketing thanks to inflation, supply chain issues, and now the highly-contagious bird flu.
The price spike is hitting bakeries especially hard, and the days leading up to Easter are some of the busiest of the year for pastry, cookie, and other sweets sales.
"This is not our first rodeo with avian flu. Unfortunately, it’s following a pandemic and we’ve already had shortages," said Retail Bakers of America Board President Patti Stobaugh.
This is the worst outbreak of the avian flu since 2015 when more than 50 million birds either died or had to be killed to avoid further spread. President of the National Association of Egg Farmers Ken Klippen says it’s a sickly feeling for farmers to see an outbreak happening again.
"We just kind of shook our heads and said ‘okay, here it is. Let’s brace for this now, 'cause it’s coming," said Klippen.
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From the end of March to the first of April, the wholesale cost for a carton of eggs in the Midwest jumped 60%, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
"People are going to be paying more for eggs, there's just no way to get around it. You decrease supplies, there's an increased cost of production, the result is consumers will foot some of that expense," said Klippen.
Farmers are hoping warmer weather will slow down the bird flu. But for now, when you go to buy some treats for an easter celebration, expect fewer options at some bakeries and a higher bill to go with it.