The US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, confirmed on Friday that the United States is importing eggs from Turkey and South Korea to address a shortage caused by avian flu, which has driven up prices nationwide.

Rollins stated that shipments from Turkey and South Korea have already started, adding that the White House is also negotiating with other countries to temporarily source more eggs.

“We’re talking about hundreds of millions of eggs in the short term,” Rollins said. The sharp rise in egg prices stems from several bird flu outbreaks that have forced American farmers to cull at least 30 million birds, tightening supply.

Egg prices became a hot topic during last year’s presidential campaign, with Donald Trump using the issue to highlight frustrations over the rising cost of essential goods under Joe Biden’s administration. After returning to the White House in January, Trump tasked Rollins with finding ways to boost the egg supply and bring down prices.

Since then, American interest in foreign eggs has increased. Poultry associations in Poland and Lithuania confirmed that US diplomats had reached out, exploring options for fresh egg imports. Katarzyna Gawronska, Director of Poland’s National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers, noted that egg shortages are affecting several countries.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), wholesale egg prices have dropped by nearly 50% since late February, suggesting that consumer prices may soon follow. The USDA accredited its strategy for the positive trend. Rollins mentioned that egg imports will stop once US poultry farmers can stabilize production and meet demand.