The rise in egg prices have hatched concern from many businesses and consumers. Grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants are all raising prices due to a shortage of eggs and egg products. The inflation of the egg prices brings a huge disadvantage to citizens in America and Canada. Such a vital ingredient is hard to supplement. 

HPAI is a bird flu that has spread to many chickens and turkeys in the United States and Canada. HPAI is fatal to chickens and turkeys, so birds have been killed to keep the flu in control. Over 74 percent of the 58 million chickens that were killed to control the bird flu were egg laying hens. This caused the shortage in eggs that brought the rise in egg prices. 

“[T]he virus lingered throughout the summer and made a resurgence last fall infecting egg and poultry farms,” said Josh Funk from AP News. This “resurgence” is actively affecting homes that use eggs and egg products. As the effects of the virus begin to go down, the amount of eggs should rise. When the amount of eggs rises, we can expect to see the prices slowly go down. Without the stop of the virus, there would be no way that companies can bring egg prices down. 

“[The rise in egg prices are] putting stress on consumer budgets and the bottom lines of restaurants, bakeries and other food producers,” Funk said. Businesses are suffering from loss of consumers and consumers are suffering from lack of eggs. This economic distress will continue until the prices of eggs go down. 

Many people are making creative ways to substitute eggs because of this problem. The substitutes include foods such as Bananas, tofu and applesauce because they are cheaper than eggs. Until the end of this excruciating crisis, stores and restaurants will raise prices. While the inflation of egg prices continues, consumers will continue to avoid purchasing eggs.