The Plot Chickens: Why the Price of Eggs is Soaring (in Some Parts)

Few things unnerve politicians more than rising food prices.

- Mridula Ramesh

The egg is a staple of American breakfasts, with the average citizen consuming more than 280 annually. So, when prices rose to $5 (about Rs 415) per dozen in December 2022, up from $1.50 (about Rs 113) in 2021, leaders were anxious. Prices fell in 2023, before rising again at the tail end of 2024. In fact, comparing 2024 and 2020 prices shows the average American family shelled out $1,600 more on eggs a year. It's no wonder inflation was a key topic in the election.

Why have prices been rising so fast this past year?

The answer lies in a virulent strain of bird flu. This disease is caused by the avian influenza virus, which belongs to the same family (Orthomyxoviridae) and species (Influenza A species) as the flu that infects humans.

While some variants are more virulent than others, we worry especially about those that decimate bird populations or have the potential to infect other species, specifically humans. After all, many recent influenza epidemics began with an avian flu virus, including the 1957, 1968 and 2009 (swine flu) ones, and quite likely the deadly 1918 pandemic.

Migratory birds spread the virus far and wide, with densely packed factory farms quickening the spread of the disease.

This makes avian influenza a ticking time-bomb, with the next pandemic a case of "when", not "if". Surveillance, early response, and transparency can stem the spread.

If only.

The 2022 US bird flu epidemic caused the death or culling of about 57 million hens (including 44 million egg layers). Unsurprisingly, egg prices jumped. Then, in March 2024, cows in Texas began falling ill, and birds in the vicinity began to die in droves. Rural vets raised an alarm, but the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), tasked with containing such outbreaks, was reportedly slow to respond.