Avian Flu and Egg Shortage Force US to Import Eggs from Turkey
Professor Dr. Salah Mahdi Hassan / Consultant Specialist and Expert in Poultry Production and Health
Recent outbreaks of avian influenza under the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b type in laying hens in the United States have led to a severe shortage in egg supplies to the local market, causing Americans to suffer from a significant increase in prices, thus prompting authorities in the United States to look elsewhere, including Turkey, for what had once become a rare and valuable commodity.
These violent outbreaks of the disease in poultry farms have so far led to the slaughter and rejection of approximately 159 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, including approximately 47 million birds since the beginning of December 2024 – which has led to a shortage in egg preparation and raised prices. In January 2025, the average price of eggs in the United States reached a record level of $4.95 per pack of 12 eggs This means that this price exceeded the previous record of $4.82, which was set more than two years ago, and was double the price of eggs before the outbreaks, which was $2.04 for the same package, which was set in August 2023. It is worth noting that the US Department of Agriculture had predicted last month that egg prices are likely to rise by 20% this year.
Turkish producers have agreed to a preliminary agreement with the United States to ship nearly 15,000 tons of eggs by next June, following trial purchases last year by the United States. According to what Ibrahim Afyon, head of the Turkish Egg Producers Association (YUM-BIR), told Anadolu Agency, the United States will import its needs from Turkey, which has a high security and egg-processing capacity. The current deal also includes pre-packaged egg shipments, especially medium-sized eggs, which are preferred for long-distance transportation. The agreement does not exceed the volume of planned exports to Turkey and therefore will not pose a threat to domestic egg prices in Turkey, especially with the approach of Ramadan. The Turkish Egg Producers Association also confirmed that Turkey’s production exceeds the quantity required for export, and Turkey has an export capacity ranging between 15% – 25% of the GDP in addition to 100% self-sufficiency. The surplus is exported to the Gulf, the Far East or the European Union.
