The soaring cost of eggs in Las Tunas has become a hot topic after a retired healthcare worker turned to social media to highlight the issue. She revealed that the price of a single egg in her area had skyrocketed to 135 Cuban pesos (CUP), making a 30-egg carton cost over 4,000 CUP—almost the entirety of a monthly pension.
Lili Romero, a resident of Manatí in Las Tunas, voiced her frustration on Facebook. Her message quickly resonated with Cubans across the island. "Folks, this is another test of endurance. When we used to get an egg for 15 cents through the ration card, at least we could taste it. Now, this egg costs 135 pesos here in my town," she expressed.
What makes her complaint even more poignant is the stark comparison to her own income. "Do you know how much my pension is? It's 4,478 pesos. I was a healthcare professional for over 30 years. Now, I'd like to know where these expensive eggs are coming from," she questioned indignantly.
The Nationwide Egg Crisis
This issue isn't isolated to Las Tunas. In the comments on Romero's video, Cubans from other provinces reported similar or even higher prices. In Bayamo, someone mentioned eggs costing 200 CUP each and oil reaching 6,000 CUP. In Holguín, prices ranged from 200 to 300 pesos per egg. One commenter summarized the collective frustration: "It's an insult, a mockery, a disrespect to the people. It's a UTOPIA."
An additional response to the video lamented, "After a lifetime of work, we can't even afford an egg... as if they came from the goose that laid the golden eggs."
Structural Issues Behind Egg Prices
The decline in egg affordability is rooted in longstanding structural problems. Cuba's poultry production has steadily deteriorated over the years. The country went from producing four to five million eggs daily to barely 1,200,000, as admitted by then Agriculture Minister Ydael Pérez Brito in October 2024. To offset the deficit, the regime has been importing millions of eggs each month from various countries, prioritizing minimal social programs.
In response to the uncontrolled price surge, some local authorities have attempted to intervene. Villa Clara set a maximum price of 110 CUP per egg on August 7, with Songo-La Maya following suit shortly after. However, Cuban economists criticized these price caps, arguing that they exacerbate shortages by discouraging supply rather than making eggs more affordable.
A Striking Economic Disparity
The current egg prices starkly contrast with historical costs, highlighting the extent of the crisis. In Bayamo, a carton of eggs hit 4,000 pesos as early as last June. Meanwhile, the purchasing power of Cubans remains disproportionately low. The official minimum pension is 4,000 CUP per month—less than seven dollars on the informal exchange market—and the minimum wage in the budgeted sector rose to 3,210 CUP in July 2026, about five dollars. Independent estimates suggest an individual needs approximately 96,000 CUP monthly to meet basic needs, making eggs—and most foods—unaffordable for the majority.
Understanding the Cuban Egg Price Surge
Why have egg prices increased so dramatically in Cuba?
Egg prices have surged due to a significant collapse in domestic poultry production, forcing Cuba to rely heavily on imports to meet demand, which has driven up costs.
How does the current egg price compare to the average Cuban income?
With a carton of eggs costing over 4,000 CUP, it consumes nearly an entire monthly pension or wage, highlighting the severe economic disparity and making basic food items unaffordable for many Cubans.
What measures have been taken to address the egg price issue?
Some local governments have attempted to set maximum price limits, but these measures have been criticized for potentially worsening shortages by discouraging supply.