Eggs have become so expensive that Americans are smuggling them from Mexico

Smuggling of eggs is considered illegal in some countries as eggs which have not been formally inspected can spread diseases.

Egg prices are soaring to extremely high levels across the US, leading to travellers being caught smuggling them across the border from Mexico and sometimes even from Canada, Wall Street Journal reported.

Egg interceptions have risen 36% across the US so far this fiscal year, accordin to the US Customs and Border Protection.(Reuters)

Imports of eggs are regulated in the US as eggs which have not been inspected through proper channels have the potential to spread disease.

According to data available with the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ‘egg interceptions’ have risen a surprising 36% nationwide so far this year compared with the previous year.

The rise in such kinds of imports is a sign of how desperate Americans are becoming and the lengths to which they are going to get cheaper eggs. A dozen of the top quality eggs averages $5.9 (over ₹500) last month in the US. This is compared to last year's price of $3 per dozen of grade-A eggs, data from the Labour Department shows.

Citizens in some cities have seen the prices of a dozen eggs rise as high as $10 or more. In comparison, prices in Mexico are averaging at under $2 for a dozen, with prices in some Mexican cities rising to $2.3, Mexican government's data shows.

CBP's Laredo office estimates that such interceptions have risen by 54% along parts of the Texas border. In San Diego, they have more than doubled, while in El Paso, agents have encountered 90 would-be egg importers since January, CBP reported.

This surprising rise is a direct result of the rise in prices of eggs, said CBP spokesperson Roger Maier. “The price is like a third of what it is in the US,” Maier said.

First-time offenders get a $300 fine—equivalent to roughly 50 dozen U.S. eggs (or 150 in Mexico).

The price rise has also caused some people to cut back on their consumption. Waffle House last month added a 50-cent surcharge for each egg in a dish.

Why are egg prices soaring in the US?

The outbreak of avian flu is one of the major reasons behind the rising prices. Some consumers are stockpiling on eggs, which is helping keep prices high, according to economists.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the cause of soaring egg prices. They are probing multiple angles, including if large producers have conspired to raise prices or withhold supply.

The Department of Agriculture said last month that it plans to invest as much as $1 billion to address egg costs, including $500 million for expanded biosecurity measures at egg-producing farms.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the U.S. would consider increasing imports of inspected eggs to ease shortages. Turkey, meanwhile, has begun shipping around 16,000 tons of eggs to the US, according to the WSJ.