CoBank: Easter Egg Supplies Likely Short

Recent outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza are adding strain to the egg supply chains across the country, which still haven’t fully recovered from COVID-19. 

While egg production stabilized in recent months, it’s still well below pre-COVID levels. 

CoBank says that means egg availability could be limited leading into Easter. 

“U.S. egg producers have been hard-pressed to align supplies with market demand over the last couple of years,” says Brian Earnest, lead animal protein economist with CoBank. 

“The layer flock typically expands ahead of the surge in demand for Easter and contracts during the summer months.” 

However, recent HPAI losses have combined with high feed cost and other challenges to severely flock sizes. 

CoBank says at least 11 million layers have been lost in recent weeks. 

The USDA estimates about five days of U.S. egg inventory is currently on hand, which is tight but not alarmingly tight supplies. Egg prices will likely rise around Easter.

(Story Courtesy of the NAFB News Service)