South Korea's laying hen population has hit a record high as farmers expanded flocks in response to rising egg prices. The increase followed a drop in egg supply caused by the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which prompted farmers to raise more chicks. Experts say egg consumption is also on a long-term upward trend, driven by consumers seeking cheaper protein amid high inflation, along with the growth of single-person households and rising interest in health management.
The number of laying hens nationwide stood at 86.544 million as of the first of last month, up 5.461 million, or 6.7%, from a year earlier, according to the third-quarter 2026 livestock survey released on the 23rd by the National Data Agency. It is the largest figure since the statistics began in 1983. The flock has grown for five consecutive years on a third-quarter basis, from 70.722 million in the third quarter of 2021. Chickens younger than three months surged 24.8% over the past year to 13.874 million.
The immediate cause of the sharp rise was strong egg prices in the first half of the year. Highly pathogenic avian influenza spread nationwide from last fall through this spring, leading to the culling of 11.34 million laying hens. As a result, average daily egg output in June fell 3.3% from a year earlier to 47.05 million. As prices rose on the supply shortage, farmers brought in additional chicks and kept existing layers in production longer than usual.
"There was a push to increase supply as the amount of eggs on the market fell short," said Kim In-sik, head of the agriculture and fisheries trends division at the National Data Agency. "With prices staying high, farmers had a stronger incentive to expand their laying hen flocks."
Apart from these short-term supply and demand shifts, the base of egg consumption is also widening. Experts say high inflation has constrained household purchasing power, strengthening a preference for relatively inexpensive protein. Eggs in particular provide protein at a lower cost than meat and are easy to cook, making them an alternative for consumers trying to reduce food spending.
"With economic conditions unfavorable, demand is growing among consumers for quality protein at a low price," said Moon Jeong-hoon, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Seoul National University. "Eggs are price-competitive, convenient to cook and low in calories, so consumption is on an upward trend."
Household spending capacity has indeed weakened. Average monthly real consumption spending among households of one or more people nationwide fell 0.4% last year from the previous year, according to the ministry's household trends survey. Real income rose 0.4% in the first quarter and 1.5% in the second quarter of this year, but excluding the effect of government support such as high fuel price subsidies, it was estimated to have declined 0.3% and 1.3%. That means household income conditions were worse once government transfer payments were excluded.
Lifestyles that favor quick meals and a growing health management culture are also fueling egg demand. In a consumer survey released early this year by the Korea Rural Economic Institute, 44.7% of respondents said they increased egg consumption at home last year from the previous year. The most cited reason for buying more was "convenience in cooking and use" at 33.0%, followed by "health management purposes" such as dieting and protein intake at 23.5%.
The rise in single-person households is another notable change. The share of single-person households among all general households rose from 15.5% in 2000 to 36.6% last year, according to the ministry. Eggs can be cooked one or two at a time and are easy to store and use, making them well suited to eating alone.
The long-term expansion in consumption is also visible in the data. Annual egg consumption per capita rose 29.4%, from 11.9 kilograms in 2010 to a preliminary 15.4 kilograms last year, according to the institute's "Agricultural Outlook 2026." The institute expects egg consumption this year to have risen again from last year.
Other major livestock categories, including Korean beef cattle and pigs, saw their herds shrink. As of the first of last month, Korean beef cattle numbered 3.18 million, down 4.5% from a year earlier. Pigs and broilers fell 2.4% and 4.4%, respectively. The declines are attributed to outbreaks of livestock diseases and a narrowing breeding base.
Breeding cows among Korean beef and dairy-beef cattle fell to 1.57 million this year from 1.62 million in September last year. Over the same period, sows used for pig breeding declined to 951,000 from 971,000. For broilers, the spread of avian influenza and a smaller number of breeding chickens reduced the raising of chicks.
"Poultry flocks can be adjusted relatively flexibly, but cattle and pigs require a long breeding period," an official at the Korea Rural Economic Institute said. "That is why the number of cattle and pigs is structurally difficult to increase or decrease quickly."
Egg supply and demand will be shaped going forward by both expanded production and regulations on raising conditions. The farm-gate price for a 30-egg tray of extra-large eggs fell to 5,193 won from an average of 6,768 won in July, according to the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation. "As laying hen numbers rose, farm-gate prices fell first, and consumer prices have recently started to decline as well, so the market is gradually stabilizing," Kim said.
One variable is a regulation on raising conditions that takes effect in September next year. The government has required the minimum space per chicken to be widened to 0.075 square meters from 0.05 square meters. That means farmers will have to expand their facilities to keep the same number of chickens. As of May, 655 farms were counted as needing such facility upgrades.
