Egg Shortage

By Alex P. Vidal 

“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals.” —George Orwell

I PICKED up 2 dozen of eggs for $7.45 at Costco in Rego Park, Queens in NYC February 6 and they had plenty there. I heard the price is expected to increase next week.

Prior to this, it was reported that there was a nationwide egg shortage, which has led to bizarre pricing at New York-area checkout counters—with cartons of regular eggs costing significantly more than the organic and free-range variety.

The New York Post reported that at Big Apple grocer Morton Williams, a dozen white, regular eggs from an in-store brand were going for a whopping $9.99 this week, while a carton of Land O Lakes brown eggs — produced “without hormones, steroids, or antibiotics” — cost just $5.59.

Other organic and cage-free varieties at the supermarket’s West 57th Street were also selling for well under $10, including $5.69 for a dozen of Egg-Land’s Best “vegetarian-fed hens” eggs, $7.49 for Organic Brown eggs, and $8.49 for Eco Meal Cage-Free Large Brown eggs, added The Post report.

A key reason for the topsy-turvy pricing is that organic, free-range egg farms — despite being hit just as hard by the avian flu as the rest — have been honoring lower-priced distribution contracts, according to Joe Viscomi, assistant director of operations for Morton Williams.

-o0o-

However, many of those contracts are slated to expire in the coming weeks — with the result that organic and cage-free eggs could blow past the $10-a-dozen mark, he added.

“The disparity of the cost of organic brown and cage free eggs versus conventional eggs is closing fast,” Viscomi said.

At the Stew Leonard’s chain in the New York suburbs, the supermarket is charging $10.39 per dozen for its regular, private label brand, while the organic, cage-free eggs are $5.

“Our customers are now asking us how long do eggs last,” owner Stew Leonard told The Post.

The reemergence of the avian flu has led to the culling of 110 million egg-laying hens since 2022.

Skyrocketing egg prices are expected to plague shoppers for months to come, according to Matt Sutton-Vermeulen, principal in the agriculture and food practice at consulting firm, Kearney.

“This outbreak is accelerating and it’s not predictable,” said Sutton-Vermeulen, adding that 14 million hens were slaughtered over the past four weeks.

“I would not bet on a May recovery” as some experts have predicted, he said.

Shoppers scouring the city for less expensive eggs have been able to find some bargains. The Bryant Park Whole Foods in Midtown is selling a dozen premium eggs for $4.69 this week, as The Post reported.

-o0o-

NEW YORK HOSPITALS VOW: NO SHARING OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. Care For NYC. No Exceptions. At NYC Health + Hospitals, we know this may be a challenging time for many of you.

Our hospitals, nursing homes, and community health centers are still open to you, regardless of your background, immigration status, gender identity, or ability to pay.

Our mission is the same as it has always been: providing the highest quality health care services to all New Yorkers with compassion, dignity and respect.

Please continue to get the care you need before you have a serious illness or emergency.

It’s important to remember that NYC Health + Hospitals:

Does not require you to share information about your immigration status to receive health care.

Cannot give your information to anyone else without authorization by you, the patient, or without being required or specifically authorized to do so by law.

When you visit our facilities, our staff will help you get the insurance you need.

If you can’t access insurance, they can connect you to the NYC Care program, so you have your own doctor for no or low-cost.

We will do all that so we can to ensure that you can continue to get the care you and your family need.

Our doctors, nurses, social workers, and entire team are here to serve you. Many of them are the sons and daughters of immigrants and live in the communities we serve.

All of them are committed to our mission of care for all without fear. We care about you.

It’s a complex world out there, but at NYC Health + Hospitals, we’re staying focused on serving you, our patient.

Thanks to the tireless dedication of our staff, partners, and advocates, we will continue to support you and your health care needs.

-o0o-

TOUGH TIMES: As a human resources executive, Diane Evans used to make more than $200,000 a year. After she was laid off a year ago, she’s only been able to find work as a bathroom attendant. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Evans said of the job market.

RESISTANT TO CHEMICAL SHAMPOOS. Head lice are becoming resistant to chemical shampoos designed to kill them. In addition, if we use them we’re flushing insecticides down our drain. Let’s make a conditioning rinse with our usual conditioner, vinegar, and tea tree oil, then comb through thoroughly once a week until the lice are gone.

FAITHFUL. Women who are housewives are, as a whole, more faithful than working women. (Kinsey Institute)

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)