Over the past year, egg prices have exploded by 60%. Consumers are feeling the crunch on their wallets. PPYET, there are early signs that the prices have been easing nothing relatively recently but the market remains funny.

Recent rising egg prices were mainly due to avian flu outbreaks. This caused egg production to plummet, driving prices up even further. The average price of a dozen eggs hit a staggering $5.90 in February.

Data from recent weeks indicate a slight decrease in egg prices. Wholesale prices for large white eggs dropped by $1.20 to $6.85 per dozen. This decrease comes as consumers are buying fewer eggs because of high prices.

And with prices soaring, consumers have adjusted where they go to buy eggs. Many are purchasing individual eggs rather than a dozen. Others are eliminating eggs from their diets entirely.

The soaring cost of eggs has made a dent in consumers. Many have changed their grocery lists in favor of other sources of protein. For businesses, higher prices are translating into costlier meals or surcharges for egg-based dishes.

The egg market is volatile, and prices could drop further in the coming weeks. As Easter approaches, demand typically skyrockets, meaning prices could escalate again. The later timing of Easter this year could help balance out costs.

There are still debates about metrics for egg prices. Officials call them significant drop-offs, but other data does not support that. The importation of eggs to normalise prices poses complicated problems to local producers who are competing.