FREDERIKSTED — People are boiling hot about the high price of eggs on St. Croix, according to social media.
Some people said businesses were “price gouging” while others speculated that the eggs were made of gold!
A person in the Facebook group “What’s Happening St. Croix” took a before-and-after picture of 18-count Hillsdale Farms of eggs selling for $6.39 and then the new price of an 18-count Hillsdale Farms for sale at $8.59 in “Plaza Extra.”
“VI is selling golden eggs!!” Wanda Deleon Rosario said. “Prices are ridiculous everywhere.”
But a buyer of 18-count Hillsdale Farms yesterday at Plaza Extra East said the price was $5.99; and buyer Melia Cook said on Facebook she bought a 12-count Hillsdale Farms at Plaza Extra St. Thomas for $4.29 yesterday.
A voluntary North Carolina recall of eggs over salmonella fears has led to the taking back of at least 200 million eggs in 10 states on the U.S. mainland.
“Both pictures show 18 count eggs,” Ray Bratcher said. “Maybe one is from Plaza East and one is from Plaza West? The salient question is, how much did Plaza pay at wholesale to their supplier? Did they have to pay a huge price increase because of the salmonella recall induced shortage? Or did they get a discount because everyone’s afraid to buy eggs now? Personally, instead of raising prices due to a shortage caused by the salmonella recall, they need to significantly cut the price to induce me to buy their possibly salmonella infected eggs. Leave ’em on the shelf. There is no one on Planet Croix who can’t go without eggs for a bit.”
People at the Virgin Islands Free Press Facebook platform said that the higher prices, especially at Plaza Extra West on St. Croix — were in response to the egg recall.
“I bought them in Plaza West [on] the 1st of the this month for $6.99,” Ana Iris Soto said on Facebook.
One thing’s for sure, for egg buyers on St. Croix, there is a mad scramble to buy them before the price goes any higher!