Mexico Is Apparently Running Low On Eggs

In Mexico, the public is currently being faced with an extreme shortage of eggs, and the country has the highest-per-capita egg consumption on the planet. Troubling? Yes. But everyone seems to have a pretty decent sense of humor about it. Even Mexico.

An avian flu outbreak in June killed millions of chickens in Mexico, and subsequently, the price of feed soared. The Washington Post calls this the “Great Mexican Egg Crisis,” eggsplaining (see what I did there?) that while the shortage of eggs in Mexico is a serious problem, it’s okay to crack-wise about it (because that’s how the Mexican Press is handling it).

Seriously though, here are some facts: Mexicans consume an average of 350 to 400 eggs per person every year. This makes it one of the highest per-capita egg-eating nations in the world, according to Time. “The egg is essential,” said an anonymous egg broker in Los Mochis. “For 8 pesos, a person can eat two eggs, a sausage and three tortillas. It’s a very good breakfast, for the price of two cigarettes.”

However, the past month has seen an increase in the cost of eggs (from about $1.50 to $3 for a carton of 16 to 18 eggs. In some area, that number has even tripled. Adding fuel to the fire, nearly half of Mexico’s population lives below the poverty line, and eggs are a cheap source of protein. The government is doing what it can, from selling government-subsidized eggs to importing more from the US, to get the egg market back to stability.

“We will not allow Mexican families, especially those who have less, to see their pocketbooks affected by unjustified increases in the price of this basic commodity,” said Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon.

That’s eggsellent news, President Calderon!