Eggs are a high commodity for many Texans, and keeping them in stock is getting harder and more expensive.
Egg prices and shortages are already a concern due to a bird flu outbreak in the U.S., and consumers have experienced a surge in egg prices and limited supplies.
Some consumers have shared their shopping experience on social media, showing empty shelves where eggs normally are.
An egg display sits mostly empty in a Sprouts Farmers Market in Reno, Nevada.
Here’s what we know:
Why is there an egg shortage?
Experts say bird flu plays a large part in the price of eggs. Over the past three years, bird flu has been reported in more than 145 million birds in 618 counties and all 50 states, according to CDC data as of Jan. 24.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, avian flu has been detected in 369 birds in Texas. The number represents all positive wild bird samples since January 1, 2022, according to the USDA.
Several states have recently reported a resurgence of the virus, which the USDA reported killed about 17.2 million egg-laying hens in November and December. That accounted for nearly half of all birds killed by the virus in 2024, the federal department said.
How much is a dozen eggs in Texas?
According to World Population Review, the average price of a dozen eggs in Texas is $5.43.
Nationally, the average cost of a dozen large eggs was $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024.
When will egg prices drop?
According to a USDA Food Price Outlook on Jan. 24, egg prices are expected to remain where they are in 2025. It could increase by 20.3% during the year, compared with about 2.2% for overall food prices.
The future depends on farmers and producers and how long it takes them to recover their stocks from bird flu.
The USDA forecasts egg production going down in 2025, “reflecting a smaller laying flock as a result of losses to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), as well as lower lay rates.”
Even in an ideal situation, without any further bird flu losses, it may take over nine months for the replacement hens to produce eggs that make it to grocery store shelves, according to Matt Sutton-Vermeulen, principal in the agriculture and food practice at Kearney, a global strategy and management consulting firm. This comes after 14 million birds were lost in the past two weeks.
“So prices could continue to rise in the next twelve months due to the persistence of the virus and the fact that we are seeing outbreaks in facilities from coast to coast and north to south with some of the best, state of the art biosecurity systems in place,” Sutton-Vermeulen told USA TODAY.
‘Eggs or Beyoncé tickets’? People react to egg shortage
People have reacted to the egg shortages and the price of a dozen eggs at grocery stores. Some consumers are alarmed, some try to make light of the situation, while others are concerned about any potential solutions in the near future.
-USA TODAY Network consumer reporter Betty Lin-Fisher contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why are eggs so expensive in Texas? Here’s how much a dozen eggs cost
