Egg imports from Turkiye, South Korea to tackle soaring US prices

With bird flu forcing millions of culls, the US turns to overseas imports to stabilise egg prices.

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The United States is set to import hundreds of millions of eggs from Turkiye and South Korea to help ease the rising prices caused by a severe bird flu outbreak, US officials confirmed.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made the announcement, stating that these imports would provide relief to the US egg market in the short term.

Egg prices in the US have soared by more than 65% over the past year, with projections signalling a further increase of 41% in 2025.

This surge has been primarily driven by a widespread avian flu outbreak that forced the culling of millions of chickens, significantly reducing the domestic egg supply.

To tackle this crisis, the US is looking beyond its borders for solutions.

“We are talking in the hundreds of millions of eggs for the short term. It’s not insignificant, but it’s significant enough to help bring the prices down,” Rollins told reporters at the White House.

She added that the US is in talks with other countries to secure additional supplies, although she did not specify which nations are involved.

Turkey and South Korea are the first countries to step up, with shipments already being arranged.

Rollins revealed that she had recently spoken to representatives from several other countries that are expected to begin egg exports to the US shortly.

The aim is to bolster egg supplies while US poultry farms recover from the bird flu epidemic.

In addition to the imports, the US government has announced a comprehensive $1bn plan to combat the bird flu and stabilise egg prices.

This plan includes $500m allocated for biosecurity measures, $100m for vaccine development, and $400m for financial relief to farmers impacted by the outbreak.

The USDA is also providing free consulting services to commercial egg farms to help them secure their facilities and prevent further outbreaks.

While these efforts are expected to gradually restore the domestic egg-laying industry, it could take several months before chicken populations are fully repopulated and the US is able to return to self-sufficiency in egg production.

In the meantime, the imports from Turkiye and South Korea are seen as a necessary measure to meet demand and prevent further price increases.

The bird flu outbreak, particularly the wave that began in 2022, has had a devastating impact on US poultry farms. More than 156 million birds have been killed, disrupting the supply chain and causing prices to climb.

This situation has also become a political issue, with former President Trump blaming the surge in egg prices on the Biden administration’s handling of the bird flu crisis.

During a recent address to Congress, Trump placed the blame for high egg prices on President Biden, asserting that the current administration had failed to manage the situation properly. “Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control, and we are working hard to get it back down,” Trump said.

Despite the political rhetoric, both the Trump and Biden administrations are in agreement on the need to address the bird flu and its impact on the egg market.

In addition to the imports, the USDA has been working closely with the poultry industry to develop better safety protocols to prevent future outbreaks and ensure the stability of egg production.

The egg market remains volatile, with prices continuing to fluctuate as the industry grapples with the effects of the bird flu.

While imports from Turkiye and South Korea are a temporary solution, officials remain hopeful that with continued investment in biosecurity and the eventual repopulation of domestic flocks, the US will be able to regain control over its egg supply and prices.

For now, the importation of eggs is a critical part of the US’s strategy to ease the pressure on consumers, with hopes that domestic production will recover sufficiently to reduce dependence on foreign imports in the near future.