Poultry Holds No. 1 Spot Among State’s Ag Commodities

By Susan Collins-Smith

An increase in broiler production and stronger egg prices led to a slight rise in the production value of Mississippi’s poultry industry for 2025.

Ranking first among Mississippi’s agricultural commodities for the 31st consecutive year, the poultry industry posted a total estimated production value of $3.73 billion. That’s a 2.3% increase from 2024.

“This increase in value is directly tied to the growth in broiler production that Mississippi has experienced,” said Jonathan Moon, poultry specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “As more broilers are produced, the total pounds of high-quality poultry meat entering the market increase, which in turn drives higher overall production value.”

Mississippi produced 752 million broilers in 2025, ranking sixth in broiler production nationally.  The state ranks 20th in egg production nationwide.

Two industry segments make up the overall value of poultry: broilers and eggs. Broilers are worth an estimated $3.38 billion, up 1% from 2024. Estimated value for eggs stands at $351 million, up 15% from last year.

Josh Maples, an MSU Extension agricultural economist, said both an increase in production and stronger prices early in the year led to the jump in value of production on the egg side of the industry.

In December 2024, egg prices were almost double their current price after outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, reduced the number of layer hens nationwide.

“The supply of eggs has recovered from a year ago, which has helped to bring prices lower as 2025 progressed and could continue to lead to lower prices into the new year,” Maples said. “HPAI is always a threat, but its impact on prices is not uniform or predictable as it depends on when and where the losses occur.