Eggs Suddenly Being Smuggled In From Mexico At High Rates
With egg prices soaring in the United States, many individuals are crossing the border into Mexico to purchase eggs and smuggle them back into the states.
Household and food staple eggs are at an extraordinary price. They are one of the many food items that have been experiencing a record increase in price since the start of the cost of living and inflation crisis. While the spike in egg prices is unexpected, what is more, unexpected is that people are now starting to smuggle the protein-rich food across the Mexican border.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have noticed a higher number of people attempting to bring eggs across the border and into America illegally. In Mexico, egg prices have not been as affected as it has in the U.S.
The increased price of eggs is due to several factors, including global supply chain issues, hyperinflation, and a major bird flu outbreak in America. It is simple economics that the price increases significantly when something is in short supply.
Since there is more demand than supply of eggs at the moment, grocery stores have started to limit how many cartons each person can buy at one time so that the little supply available can be distributed evenly or as fairly as possible. But this hasn’t stopped people from going outside America to get a steady supply of the food item, even if that means potentially getting a hefty fine of a thousand dollars or more in the process.
For a pack of thirty eggs in Mexico, at the moment, it is $3.40, but in some parts of America, twelve eggs are being sold for $7.37, which is a significant difference. People from El Paso and other border towns are buying their eggs from Mexico, and why wouldn’t they? The eggs are significantly less expensive, and everyone needs to save money in these challenging times.
Most people who are doing this are open about their purchase as they do not realize that buying eggs across the border is prohibited. If this happens, people are asked to leave their purchase, and they can return to America with no consequences.
But if products are not declared and seized, the person can be fined $300, but for repeat offenders or people who are trying to smuggle in commercial-sized imports, the fine is a lot higher. But so far, there are only a small number of people have attempted to do this.
Customer officials are warning members of the public attempting to smuggle back the worst affected produce from inflation that they could be subject to fines of up to $10,000.
Bringing poultry, other animal products, and their byproducts into America from other countries is prohibited. It is not permitted due to certain health risks, like pathogenic avian influenza found in Mexican eggs. But some items are exceptions, in some instances, such as moon cakes and egg shells.
It is hard when our favorite food has doubled or tripled in price. Hopefully, this year, the economy and the costs of our essential items will resume to normality, and people will not have to resort to such extreme measures for eggs and other food items.
