U.S. retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to government data released Tuesday.
According to the Consumer Price Index, the average cost for a dozen Grade A eggs decreased by 12.7% to $5.12 in April. This marked the first time egg prices had fallen month-to-month since October 2024.
A shopper checks eggs before he purchases at a grocery store in Glenview, Ill., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File
Despite this drop, egg prices remain close to record highs as the ongoing bird flu outbreak continues to decimate flocks of egg-laying hens. The April price is still 79% higher than it was the same month last year when it was $2.86 per dozen.
In March, egg prices in the U.S. reached a peak of $6.23 per dozen. Predictions on how much prices would decrease in April were unsettled due to typically high consumer demand during Easter and Passover.
Bird flu has killed more than 169 million birds since early 2022. Any time a bird gets sick, the entire flock is killed to help keep bird flu from spreading. That can have an effect on the egg supply because massive egg farms may have millions of birds.
In April, outbreaks on two farms on Ohio and South Dakota affected more than 927,000 egg-laying hens.
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