U.S. To Boost Egg Imports From South Korea Amid Supply Shortage   

• The United States government announced plans on March 20 to increase egg imports from South Korea in an effort to mitigate a nationwide egg supply shortage caused by the spread of avian influenza. With the outbreak of avian influenza in the U.S. leading to the culling of approximately 166 million laying hens since 2022, the country has faced record-high egg prices. In response, the U.S. government is ramping up egg imports from South Korea, along with Turkiye and Brazil, to stabilize the domestic supply. Egg prices in South Korea are relatively lower than in the U.S. According to Numbeo, a global price index, a dozen eggs in South Korea are sold for $2.93 (4,313 won), nearly 30 percent lower than the U.S. price of $4.13 (6,073 won). While eggs from South Korea are more expensive than those from Turkiye at $1.62 (2,381 won) and Brazil at $2.00 (2,939 won), they remain more affordable than those from Poland, the world’s largest egg exporter, at $3.22 (4,730 won). The sharp rise in U.S. egg prices is primarily attributed to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). U.S. Agriculture Secretary Rollins recently stated in The Wall Street Journal that the government would invest up to $1 billion (1.47 trillion won), to eradicate HPAI and stabilize egg prices. Despite concerns over rising domestic egg prices in South Korea, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs downplayed the impact of exports to the U.S. The ministry issued a statement in response to a March 24 article in The Korea Economic Daily, which reported that egg prices in South Korea had increased by 11 percent in a month due to exports to the U.S. “It is inappropriate to compare egg prices on a specific date,” the ministry said, adding that “the volume of egg exports to the U.S. in March was only 0.06 percent of the monthly average production, so the impact on domestic supply and demand is minimal.” Observations from the Korea Rural Economic Institute project an average monthly increase of more than 3 percent in the first half of 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs emphasized that it will continue monitoring the situation with the supply and demand to ensure a stable egg market in South Korea. Luis Apolo Staff Reporter teen/1743552973/1613367592