The U.S. government is on a global egg hunt, seeking exports from European countries, to ease a severe shortage that has caused prices to hit record highs.

Eggs are at the centre of a growing shortage in the United States, prompting a search for imports from Europe. Regulatory hurdles and limited EU supply may complicate Washington’s attempt to refill shelves ahead of Easter.

Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden are among the nations the government approached to address the shortage brought on by a bird flu outbreak.