Egg Prices Take a Dive: Here's the Skinny on Chicken Prices in 2025
Egg prices plummeted by 61% since Trump assumed the presidency.
In the bustling world of commodities, eggs have been fickle in 2025. Brendan Ahern, the KraneShares Chief Investment Officer, recently spilled the beans on 'The Claman Countdown' about the intricate dance between Chinese stocks, inflation rates, and, of course, those beloved breakfast staples we call eggs.
Even before Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017, egg prices were on a rollercoaster ride. With a spike to an all-time high in March of the same year, a carton of eggs cost American consumers a whopping $6.49 – that's quackers compared to the current cost of $2.52! Trading Economics dusted off some old data to make sense of this eggtraordinary escalation; just a couple of weeks into March 2017, eggs were even pricier, setting consumers back over $8 a dozen!
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) attributes this sharp price rise to everything from a dip in demand to a slower-than-usual recovery from bird flu cases. According to the USDA's Egg Markets Overview publication, demand has only shown a slight recovery as we headed into Memorial Day weekend, with levels still far below the average seen before the price surge.
So, why the sudden change in egg prices? A study conducted by Clarify Capital back in April 2017 reveals over 30% of Americans quit buying eggs due to the cost, which doesn't come as much of an egg-shell surprise when you consider these exorbitant prices. Boosted consumer confidence and the decline of new bird flu cases have helped to cool the boiling egg market, as analysts note.
Still, the USDA predicts egg prices could soar by over 40% in 2025! In an attempt to combat this expected rise, the US has increased its imports of eggs from countries such as Turkey, Brazil, and South Korea to help meet the shortfall caused by the ongoing bird flu outbreak that has killed nearly 170 million chickens, turkeys, and other birds since 2022.
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continues to monitor the situation, confirming that the effects of the outbreak persist today. As of late May 2025, 43 outbreaks have been reported in layer flocks across 10 states.
Stay tuned for more egg-citing updates on this constantly shifting market! If you can't get enough, don't forget to check out FOX Business for the latest in economics and finance!
- Brendan Ahern, the KraneShares Chief Investment Officer, discussed the relationship between Chinese stocks, inflation rates, and egg prices on 'The Claman Countdown'.
- In 2017, egg prices spiked to an all-time high due to various factors, with a carton of eggs priced at $6.49 in March, and even reaching over $8 a dozen in the following weeks.
- The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) attributes the sharp price rise to factors like a dip in demand and slower-than-usual recovery from bird flu cases, with demand only showing a slight recovery as we headed into Memorial Day weekend in 2017.
- In an effort to combat the expected 40% rise in egg prices by 2025, the US has increased imports of eggs from countries such as Turkey, Brazil, and South Korea.
- The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is continuously monitoring the ongoing bird flu outbreak that has killed nearly 170 million chickens, turkeys, and other birds since 2022, with 43 outbreaks reported in layer flocks across 10 states as of late May 2025.
