The Country That Produces The Most Eggs Isn't The United States

If you thought the United States was the king of eggs, think again. The real heavyweight is China — and by a long shot. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, China's hen egg production hit a jaw-dropping 30.9 million metric tons in 2023. That translates to more than 612 million eggs. Producing those eggs was an expanding flock of hens that grew from about 1.9 billion to 3.3 billion between 2000 and 2023.

By comparison, the countries producing the second and third largest supply of eggs, Indonesia and India, each produced just over 140 billion eggs in 2023, according to Statista. Meanwhile, the U.S. produced just under 110 billion, which is less than ⅕ of China's output. China doesn't just dominate in raw production; it's also a major player in exports. Ranked fourth globally, China shipped $222.79 million worth of eggs in 2023, a staggering 112% increase since 2020 (per Tridge). Put simply, China isn't just feeding itself — it's feeding egg-lovers around the world.

Even though the U.S. is one of the top four egg producers in the world, domestic eggs alone haven't always been enough to fill American plates and stomachs. For years, imports have also been a way to fill U.S. shelves. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, the United States brought in $182 million worth of eggs from abroad between mid-2024 and mid-2025, with Canada, the U.K., and China among the top suppliers. However, according to reporting by Reuters, the U.S. also started importing far more eggs from Brazil in 2025 since the bird flu outbreak reduced the number of eggs that were available domestically.

That said, the U.S. is still producing a massive amount of eggs on the home front, with 108.5 billion eggs laid in the country in 2024, per Statista. Still, that's nearly three billion fewer eggs produced compared to 2021, due to bird flu wiping out millions of hens. Nevertheless, data from 2025 released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that the Midwest remains the nation's egg basket, with Iowa, Ohio, and Indiana leading the charge thanks to plentiful feed and decades of farming infrastructure.

Once your egg supply questions have been sorted, it's important to get back to what this food does best: bringing joy to your plate. If you're in the mood for a fancy brunch egg, try an elevated eggs Florentine sandwich layered with spinach, hollandaise, and perfectly poached eggs. For a comforting lunchtime dish, a steaming bowl of silky egg drop soup, salted to perfection and ready in under 10 minutes, always delivers. For a cozy dinner idea, bake up a pan of shakshuka. This dish simmers eggs gently in spiced tomato sauce, or in a plate of sautéed greens, and works great when served with crusty bread for dipping.

Or, keep it simple: Hard-boiled eggs are easy to make and ideal for a quick snack with just a shake of salt. You can also slice and whip the yolks to create classic deviled eggs, which are perfect for a tea party or Sunday lunch. Of course, we can't forget egg salad, either. From Thailand's fried yam khai dao egg salad to Japan's creamy whipped tamago egg salad sando, the idea of dicing hard-boiled eggs into a salad is an international classic.