Disparity between wholesale and in-store costs raises the question of when Americans will feel the much-touted egg price plunge.

March 21 The USDA released its weekly Egg Markets Overview report, which found wholesale egg prices continued to drop—though at a slower pace than the week before—falling to $3.27 per dozen, and it said consumers are “slowly beginning” to see prices drop and availability increase in stores.

The U.S. government is on a global egg hunt, seeking exports from countries in Europe and elsewhere to ease a severe shortage that has caused egg prices at grocery stores to hit record highs. Germany,