(NEW YORK) — Egg prices are predicted to increase by 41.1% in 2025, according to a report released by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday.
In January, the federal agency had predicted a 20% increase.
The predicted price hike comes as a result of rising bird flu cases, which have had a substantial impact on farms.
According to the report, retail egg prices went up by 13.8% in January, after rising by 8.4% in December.
Overall, egg prices in January were 53% higher than the year before, according to the report.
The national average price for eggs hit $4.95 a dozen for shoppers in January, according to an earlier report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
An increasing number of commercial egg layers are being affected by the bird flu outbreak. The report estimated 18.8 million commercial egg layers were affected by bird flu in January, the report stated.
In another report published by the USDA on Feb. 14, the agency said wholesale egg prices had gone up $0.40 over a 30-day period.
“Offerings are very light to light with little chance for improvement in the near-term as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to impact productive flocks,” the USDA said in the Feb. 14 report.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 70 cases of bird flu recorded among humans, most of which have been mild.
One person has died. The victim — who was exposed to non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds — was over age 65 and had underlying medical conditions, officials said.
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