The cost of a dozen eggs at H-E-B in Alice has soared to a whopping $4.73. That’s just a few cents shy of the nationwide record set just two years ago, when egg prices reached an average of $4.82.
The latest rise in prices can be attributed to the ongoing Bird Flu crisis that has swept across the country. Farmers across Texas and the country have to quarantine their bird populations by killing all of their animals infected with the Bird Flu. This has severely impacted the supply of eggs, which explains the sharp rise in prices over the past couple of weeks.
Organic and cage-free eggs have seen the largest increase in prices compared to regular eggs. Here in Alice, jumbo eggs cost upwards of $6, as H-E-B has them listed for $5.66.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that egg prices could rise another 20%, which would absolutely devastate small businesses that rely on eggs. This is due to the fact that, unlike previous bouts of Bird Flu, the disease did not disappear in the warmer months. Instead, the virus kept on infecting birds.
It is going to be a difficult couple of weeks as farmers try to get the outbreaks under control, but Bird Flu is proving to be a stubborn virus to beat.
If prices continue to rise, customers may also be forced to pay higher prices restaurants for menu items that include eggs. Restaurants, food suppliers, and grocery stores will be among the businesses that are hit the hardest by these price hikes.
In fact, although it’s not local to Alice, Waffle House recently announced that they will be implementing a $0.50 surcharge for all menu items that contain eggs. The Gazette will keep an eye out for any other chains or locally-owned businesses that may be implementing similar fees.