High price of corn, seasonally depressed prices lower egg industry profits

摘要

Maro Ibarburu, program manager for the Egg Industry Center, located at Iowa State University, released the February-March Statistical Report, which was prepared in collaboration with Don Bell of the University of California at Riverside. The outstanding factor influencing profitability in our industry continues to be the high price of corn. During March, layer feed was $288 per ton, or 51 cents per dozen, across the six regions surveyed by the USDA. This is a 46% increase over March 2010. The escalation in corn price can be attributed directly to ethanol diversion in addition to increased demand from China, India and some other nations. The profit situation is also exacerbated by seasonally depressed prices for generic eggs.