Wholesale prices of eggs and ducks are rising as poultry farms across the nation report cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza(AI).

According to the government's AI response headquarters, as of Thursday, a total of 34 cases of highly pathogenic AI have been confirmed at local poultry farms in the last 50 days since October 19.

The authorities have assessed that the AI risks are higher this year than last, noting that this season's first case was reported three weeks earlier and reported cases are coming from more regions.

The continued cases of AI are pushing up the prices of eggs and ducks amid concerns of a possible supply shortage.

According to the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation, wholesale duck prices marked five-thousand-46 won per kilogram on Wednesday, up ten-point-seven percent from a month ago, while the wholesale price of ten eggs rose by nine-point-two percent to one-thousand-933 won.