r 



WHAT^S AHEAD IN EGG PRICES 

 By L. F. St Ice, Ertenelon Marketing Specialist 



Egg prices thla fall have teen supported "by the shortage of r*^d meats and a 

 lower level of fann egg production, hut this situation will change in the first half 

 of 19^6. The future outlook may he summarized as follows: 



Supply : The number of layers on farms January 1, 19^6, is expected to "be 

 ahout the same as a year previous, and egg production in the first half of 19*^6 will 

 he only slightly smaller than in the first half of 19i^5. This will result in civilian 

 supplies of eggs nearly as large as the I9U5 all-time high of 39O eggs per person. 

 Prewar per capita consumption of eggs averaged 300-325 eggs annually. 



liemand ; Civilians will tend to consume fewer eggs per person in 19^6 hecause 

 of the more plentiful supplies of red meats and some reduction in consumer incomes. 

 l«lilitary purchases will he reduced, and prdspwcts for maintaining egg exports at war- 

 time levels are uncertain. Exports of eggs, principally through lend-lease, have av- 

 eraged ahout 10 percent of the total U, S, production annually in the past four years. 



Prices ; Egg prices will decline more than is normal from now to next spring. 

 In parts of Illinois they will he near the government price support levels of 90 percent 

 of parity, hut the extent of the decline will depend largely on the export demand. The 

 U. S, farm price of eggs has averaged ahove 90 percent of parity since October 19^^. 



FARM PRICE OF EGGS AND 90 PERCENT 

 OF PARITY, U.S., 1914.1^ TO DATE 



S 



90 Percent 

 of parity 

 i_J \ \ J I L-ll L 



J L_L 



Jan, Apr, July Oct, Jan. Apr. July Oct, Jan, Apr. 

 191+^ 19^5 19^6 



i 



