Reasons for the rise in egg prices

The official website of the Livestock and Veterinary Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shows that since entering May, the price of eggs has been rising continuously for 5 weeks. Influenced by factors such as the weather turning hot and a decrease in restaurant demand, the period from May to June is usually the low season for egg consumption, and egg prices generally trend stable or slightly downward. Why have egg prices risen against the trend this year? The unexpected rise in egg prices this year not only breaks the seasonal pattern, but also shows a characteristic of "climbing every week" in May. Many industry insiders believe that this is mainly due to the decrease in supply resulting from previous production capacity reduction and the concentrated release of temporary demand. The continued low prices of eggs in 2025 led to a reduction in the scale of breeding and the elimination of egg-laying hens, causing a shortage of supply this year, which is an important reason for the current price hike. "In the egg farming industry, it takes about 4 months from purchasing chicks to the start of egg production. However, because of the depressed egg prices in the second half of 2025, farmers were hesitant to replenish their flocks, which in turn affected the number of new egg-laying hens in the first and second quarters of 2026, resulting in a noticeable gap in egg supply," said Li Yang, an egg market analyst at Shandong Zhuochuang Information Co., Ltd.