HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut shoppers have shelled out more money in the last few months due to the increase in food prices, especially eggs, but relief is on the way.
“Saturday morning eggs. We do pancakes we do French toast. We seem to go through a lot especially having a kid,” said Joe Michella.
The average cost per dozen has increased since the beginning of the year, no matter whether customers get their eggs from the grocery store or a local farm.
These egg prices, among many other rising prices, are scrambling up household budgets.
“It’s unfortunate that they are so expensive but through my job we got a cost-of-living increase, but you know with inflation it kind of stinks,” said Michella.
Experts say a global avian influenza outbreak is the primary cause of the hike in egg prices, along with increased holiday demand and high gas prices.
“It’s the flu that was killing the egg layers and it was the cost of transportation if we are getting the eggs from somewhere else,” said Stephen Antoinetti, adjunct professor of Economics at Quinnipiac University.
Farmers who sell farm-fresh eggs are seeing more foot traffic because of this.
“We have our faithful regulars and if they can find two to three dozen in there, they’ll take them all because they know if they come the next day there might not be any,” said Angela Moser.
Moser owns a local farm in Ellington named Farm Fresh. Since 2008 her prices have been $5, but today that has changed to $7.25.
“The increase is definitely because of the grain and the delivery,” said Moser.
But there is some relief in the future. With holidays over and no major bird flu outbreaks recently, prices are expected to decrease some in the coming weeks.
“Over the first quarter of 2023, we’re going to see the egg prices falling back quite a bit. Maybe not to where they were a year ago but nonetheless falling back,” said Antoinetti.
DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at dturner@fox61.com.
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