Retail Egg Prices Drop for the First Time in Months

US retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to government data released Tuesday. The average price for a dozen Grade A eggs declined to $5.12 last month after reaching a record $6.23 in March despite wholesale price drops, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was the first month-to-month drop in egg prices since October 2024. Overall, the average price of eggs of all sizes fell 12.7%, the steepest monthly decline since March 1984, the AP reports. Still, retail egg prices remain near historic highs. The April average price for a dozen large eggs was 79% higher than reported for the same month a year ago, when the price averaged $2.86 per dozen.

David L. Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, said he thinks US egg prices will continue to fall in May and June. Consumer demand tends to fall after Easter, which helps lower prices, he says. Fewer bird flu outbreaks at commercial poultry operations in recent weeks has also helped stabilize the country's egg supply, Ortega said. According to the Department of Agriculture, there were 59 bird flu outbreaks at commercial poultry operations in February, 12 in March and three in April. But Ortega says the progress of the virus is uncertain, and prices could edge up again if outbreaks expand again. Even one outbreak at a commercial facility can impact supply, because massive egg farms have millions of birds.

Lowering egg prices has been a particular focus of President Trump. In February, the USDA said it would invest $1 billion to help farmers improve their biosecurity measures to fight bird flu. The US has also increased imports of eggs from South Korea, Turkey, Brazil, and other countries. The antitrust division of the Department of Justice is also investigating Cal-Maine Foods, the largest US egg producer. The Mississippi-based company, which supplies around 20% of America's eggs, said its net income more than tripled to $508.5 million in its most recent quarter, which ended March 1. (More eggs stories.)