After soaring above $3 a dozen during the summer, the grocery store price for Large white eggs Grade A or better is down by 60 cents in a three-week period, says USDA’s latest National Retail Report. The 26 percent drop puts the average nationally advertised price at $1.74 a dozen. “The weighted average for Grade A or better Large white eggs to consumers is significantly lower,” said USDA in the report for the week ending today. “Shoppers looking for bargains will find them limited … ” An updated price will be posted on Friday.
Although prices are down substantially, egg prices are still 20 to 40 cents a dozen higher than a year ago. Eggs prices zoomed because of the bird flu epidemic that killed 10 percent of the hens that lay eggs for table consumption. USDA estimates it will take at least a year for production to return to normal.