Easter is Sunday, so even if you didn't major in Economics you're probably not surprised to see egg prices go up this week. It's true says Dr. Craig Coufal, Texas A&M Poultry Specialist. :"Yeah...it's pretty simple economics: The demand goes up and the price goes up. Considering we just can't make chickens lay 2 eggs a day - that's just how it goes!"
With the exception of rising chicken feed prices, Dr. Coufal says the poultry business is doing well - especially with all those eggs you're dying this week. Dr. Coufal says egg producers periodically sell their eggs at a loss when demand is down because they are a perishable item. "We can freeze eggs in a liquid form but nobody can freeze eggs in the shell because they will crack. Nobody wants to buy cracked eggs!"
Dr. Coufal says egg producers are pretty happy this week. "Everything is going great in the poultry industry this year. Our biggest challenge in the last few months is increasing feed costs. Dr. Coufal says during Covid times, back yard egg producers have multiplied greatly, but it would take millions of them to impact the egg industry. The rising cost of chicken feed and the higher demand because we're baking more these days might add a bit to future prices.