South Korea Egg Prices Top 7,000 Won as Avian Influenza Squeezes Supply
A carton of large eggs (30 eggs) in South Korea now costs 7,045 won on the 12th, the first time since late January that the price has topped 7,000 won. The figure compares with 6,041 won a year earlier, a 16.6% year-over-year rise.
Over the past week the egg price had hovered around 6,700–6,800 won before jumping to 7,000 won. It is more than 100 won higher than a month ago, when the average stood at 6,921 won. In short, eggs have moved back into the 7,000-won range for the first time in about a month and a half.
Prices for a 10-egg pack have risen even more sharply, standing at 3,902 won yesterday, up 21.1% from 3,222 won a year ago. Analysts say the surge reflects tight supply linked to ongoing disease pressures in poultry.
The price spike comes amid persistent outbreaks of high-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). While South Korea has increased imports of U.S. fresh eggs, prices have not fallen. The government is balancing such imports with broader market stabilization efforts.
Culling of laying hens due to HPAI remains elevated. As of the 11th, nearly 9.76 million birds have been culled this winter, approaching 10 million. That figure is more than double the level from a year earlier and far higher than two to three years ago. The number of HPAI outbreaks this season has reached 55, already higher than the 2022–23 and 2024–25 seasonal totals.
The Korea Rural Economic Institute’s Agricultural Outlook Center projects a 5.8% year-on-year decrease in daily egg production this month, to about 47.54 million eggs, with wholesale farm-gate prices for large eggs around 1,800 won, about 13% higher than a year ago.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs says it is reviewing reports that some poultry farms may be pushing extra charges onto distributors in an unfair trading environment, and it plans measures to prevent such practices. Officials say they aim to finalize price-stabilization measures by the end of May.
Why this matters to U.S. readers: Korea is a major consumer market for eggs, and sharp price swings can feed into inflation, affect household budgets, and influence regional and global food markets. The episode also highlights how avian influenza outbreaks and related culling reduce supply, shaping trade flows and prices beyond Korea’s borders. The fact that Korea has imported U.S. fresh eggs without preventing price pressure underscores how disease dynamics and policy responses in one region can reverberate through global supply chains.