Large White Benchmark Jumps to 40.6 Cents, Up 63% on the Week

The USDA national large white loose benchmark settled at 40.6 cents a dozen for the week of May 19, up 63.1% from 24.9 cents the prior week. US shell egg inventory stood at 1,448 thousand cases as of May 18, running 5.6% below the trailing four-week average. APHIS has reported no HPAI detections in commercial egg-laying flocks in the past 60 days, so this is not a disease-shock move. Tightening inventory is the supply signal behind the price.

• Extra large white national conventional loose hit 58.3 cents, up 53.9% on the week from 37.9 cents (USDA national).
• Cage-free premium: cage-free large white loose at 55.0 cents vs. the conventional benchmark at 40.6 cents, a 14.4 cent (35%) premium as of May 19 (USDA national).
• Nest run tier 1 white national conventional loose fell to 15.0 cents from 144 cents the prior week, an 89.5% decline per USDA. The move runs opposite to every other series in the digest.
• Northwest conventional shell egg inventory stands at 48.3 thousand cases, 11% below its five-year median per USDA and the tightest regional read in this issue. It drew 10% on the week.
• Northeast conventional inventory ran the other direction at 188 thousand cases, 29% above its five-year median per USDA, though it also drew 10% on the week.
• New York large white, delivered store door, reached 77.0 cents from 66.0 cents the prior week, up 16.7% (USDA regional).

USDA retail feature data show 381 stores featuring national large white 12-count at $1.22 for the week of May 18.

Data note: 54 California series have not updated in over two weeks per USDA. California cage-free figures in the mover list (large white at 67.7 cents, extra large at 71.6 cents) may reflect a multi-week catch-up rather than a single-week move.