PITTSBURGH (TNS) — The theft this month of 100,000 eggs with a street value of $40,000 from a trailer in Franklin County has attracted national attention and a few too many pun-laced articles. Whether the theft was related to the current high price of the commodity is unknown and the crime remains … uncracked.
However, it is true that the short answer to the question “What’s up with eggs?” is obvious — the price. Shortages have led to hoarding behavior across the country, and some empty shelves. Especially with Easter on the way, concerns about egg availability and safety are in the air.
Why are prices high?
Both inflation and the infection of chickens with the H5N1 virus, bird flu, have had an effect on egg prices. About 10% of the country’s egg-laying chickens had to be killed in the last three months to prevent the spread of the disease — more than 30 million birds.
It will take a while for farmers to replenish the egg-laying birds and to stabilize egg production; meanwhile the progression of the virus continues.
Will prices keep rising?
The USDA predicts that because of bird flu, the price of eggs will rise 20% this year.
Though you may be paying $5 and more for a dozen eggs at your local grocery story, it may surprise to find out that the wholesale price of cartoned eggs, which restaurant and grocers pay, is actually much more — about $8 a dozen, a record level.
Grocery stores often sell eggs as “loss leaders,” pricing them at a loss to bring in customers.
Indeed, Giant Eagle issued a statement to that effect, also stating it requests customers to limit the number they buy.
“To best support our customers during this uncertain time, we have made the decision to sell all conventional shelled eggs at or below our cost across all our supermarkets,” it said in a statement. “Additionally, we are updating our in-store signage to encourage customers to limit their purchases to no more than three egg cartons per transaction to help ensure supply for as many customers as possible.”
Giant Eagle said it could not predict how future egg prices could evolve.
Are eggs safe to eat?
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the health risk from consuming eggs is low. Eggs are sanitized before they are packaged, and it is unlikely that contaminated eggs would be sold. (The virus kills birds quickly, so a sick bird is not likely to have time to produce eggs.)
However, experts caution that the virus can probably be transmitted through food. Cats have died, for example, after drinking infected, unpasteurized milk.
If you want to eliminate as much risk as possible, buy pasteurized egg whites — the processing inactivates the virus. And the CDC recommends you cook eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, when the yolks are firm.
Have Pa. eggs been affected by the virus?
Unlike other parts of the country, the state’s cattle have not been affected by H5N1. The same cannot be said for chickens. The state’s first case this year of bird flu arose in January, affecting 50,000 egg-producing hens at a Lehigh County farm. The state Department of Agriculture quarantined the farm and restricted nearby facilities.
How is this affecting restaurant prices?
This month, Waffle House announced that it would add a 50-cent charge per egg because of rising prices. Restaurants, already operating on thin margins, have had to make difficult choices. Breakfast spots especially have had to nudge their prices higher.
Should I get an egg-laying chicken?
Chickens are living things, so they require food, housing, medication and health maintenance. It adds up, and requires time. And because of inflation, some of the costs of maintaining a chicken have gone up recently.
If you plan to have only a handful of hens, it will be more expensive than buying eggs and will probably even put you in the hole.
