Retail Outlets Offer Dozen Eggs for 35 Rubles Each
Affordable Eggs Galore: The Unexpected Plunge in Russia's Egg Prices
Photo: Svetlana MAKOVEEVA. Switch to KP Photo Bank
Eggs are breaking new records. Yes, we're talking about those same ordinary, chicken eggs that left a lasting impression back in 2023 with a steep rise in price - an astounding 60% increase! But, surprise, surprise, records are being shattered in reverse now.
Since the beginning of 2025, it's been a different story, according to Rosstat. These eggs have dipped an impressive 20% in price on average nationwide, and it seems that Rosstat might be lagging behind. In reality, a dozen eggs can be found in stores for as low as 60-70 rubles.
I wandered into an economy-class network and stumbled upon C1 eggs (middle-priced) going for just 39 rubles, for six pieces. And get this, in a neighboring store not long ago, a dozen C1 eggs were available for mere 35 rubles. That's a staggering drop from about 100 just a couple of months earlier!
Buyers are left puzzled. Are these suddenly cheap eggs safe to consume? Our taste for higher prices has been known to leave us in the dust, but this...
- Don't fret, Anatoly Tikhonov, director of the Center for International Agribusiness and Food Security of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), assures us as he chows down on a 35 ruble egg. The sudden drop in prices is due to an oversupply and glut in the egg market, the same reason prices soared before.
But where did this oversupply come from shortly after concerns of a shortage?
- There was never an actual shortage to begin with, Tikhonov explains. Even with bird flu outbreaks, egg production remained steady. There were logistical issues in certain regions like a nearby poultry farm shutdown, but those issues were addressed.
A burst of panic ignited by the rumors of shortages and inflated social media hype in 2023 prompted producers to hike egg prices across the board to cover their growing costs.
Today, the tables have turned. Prices are tanking, but production costs aren't.
Our "egg crisis" has led to a 5% increase in egg production, and we've seen an uptick in imports as well, Tikhonov goes on.
However, as the expert points out, the egg market demand hasn't gone through the same growth spurt it once did. Eggs remain an accessible source of protein for most, not a luxury item associated with hefty expenses.
So, no conspiracy: an oversupply together with a decrease in demand has created a glut of eggs, leading to the drop in prices. It's a delicate balance to maintain – prices down, but production costs up – ensuring the pendulum doesn't swing back the other way.
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- In the ever-changing world of business and finance, the egg market has seen a fluctuation in prices, with an unexpected drop in 2025 despite stable production.
- Despite the lower prices, there's been a 5% increase in egg production and an uptick in imports, according to Anatoly Tikhonov, director of the Center for International Agribusiness and Food Security of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).
