Egg prices drop to record lows

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – How low can they go? That's a question consumers are asking after seeing record drops in egg prices.

This is a major turnaround from last year when egg prices skyrocketed following the bird flu outbreak in the Midwest. Manufacturers say now is the time to buy. Not only is the egg shortage over, as strange as it sounds, there's almost too many. Nationally, the cost of eggs have dropped an estimated 75% as a result.

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From the minute you break the shells, to the amount of time you spend boiling, eggs are a healthy part of everyday life.

For Jacques Klempf, President and owner of Dixie Egg Company, eggs provide a living. His family has owned the company since the late 1940's.

"Most consumers don't really know the farmer. If I asked you where do eggs come from, you might say, 'Winn Dixie' or 'Publix'. But actually, there's a farmer,” said Klempf.

A farmer who has seen it all- from white to brown, "no hormones" to organic .But with a current wholesale market price of .71 cents per dozen, it's been a while since Klempf has seen prices this low.

"Egg prices have come down. Probably to the lowest level in maybe, 10 years," said Klempf.

Business was down last year during the bird flu outbreak. To deal with it, businesses were using "egg substitutes". Fast forward one year, companies were still using substitutes, meanwhile bird flu was controlled and the production of eggs was on the rise.

"It's made the supply heavy. A lot of those producers in the Midwest have repopulated. And that repopulation of more eggs again, with this business that was lost, has created a surplus,” said Klempf.

Klempf says Dixie Egg Company produces the right amount of eggs to meet customer needs. But still, lower prices can hurt.

"Everything sort of stays the same. I'm not getting to pay my employees less money or I'm not paying less for feed or less for fuel,” said Klempf.

But with prices at record lows, it's hard to tell a consumer not to take advantage of quality food while saving bucks.

"High in protein, low in calories, low in fat and all these vitamins- eggs are still a wonderful purchase. I would recommend that while eggs are cheap like they are now, go buy more," said Klempf.

Kempf also says now that we are heading into summer months, this is the time of year when people tend to buy fewer eggs. That's very typical. But overall, he says with prices being low, now is the time for consumers to take advantage.
 


About the Author:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.