# Pork Shortage?



## chewmeister (Apr 24, 2020)

With the news of several large pork processing plants shutting down, wonder what how this will affect prices and supply. Pulled pork may get expensive to make.
Thoughts?


----------



## DanMcG (Apr 24, 2020)

Ours prices went down. With all the restaurants closed there is more supply then demand.
I read 70% of the bacon is sold to restaurants, but haven't seen a drop in that yet.
with the plant closings I'm sure it will change for the worst before ya know it.


----------



## chopsaw (Apr 24, 2020)

I was just at GFS . Pork has gone up a bit , but it was trending that way around here before this started . They had plenty on the shelf . I bought a single pack , and left some for the next guy . 
Brisket was $2.99 a lb . Cheapest I've seen it here . I did buy the 2 they had  , but only after asking if they had more to put out . 
They report the plants closing , but are also sure to say " no danger of shortage " but time will tell .


----------



## noboundaries (Apr 24, 2020)

My preferred grocery has increased the prices on ready made items like lunch meat, frozen fish and potatoes, etc. I picked up two butts yesterday for $1.28 / lb. Got 5 lbs of center cut bacon last week for $3.89 / lb. Chicken prices haven't changed. Sales on meat, usually a weekly thing, have decreased quite a bit. Eggs have doubled in price. Dairy has increased slightly.  Bread and bakery prices are normal. Frozen veggies are fully stocked and prices unchanged. Fresh fruit and veggie availability has decreased a little and prices are unchanged.

Time will tell.


----------



## HalfSmoked (Apr 24, 2020)

Seen that one hog plant reopened after major cleaning as has some of the chicken plants. Other food items change from store to store. Food Lion this week St Louis style ribs $1,79 lb.

Warren


----------



## HalfSmoked (Apr 24, 2020)

Thanks for the like Dan it is greatly appreciated.

Warren


----------



## thirdeye (Apr 24, 2020)

Two of our markets have sales on butts and St Louis ribs.  I picked up a twin pack of butts (19#), and will remove the Coppa roasts, and plan on canning the remainder.


----------



## chewmeister (Apr 24, 2020)

DanMcG said:


> Ours prices went down. With all the restaurants closed there is more supply then demand.
> I read 70% of the bacon is sold to restaurants, but haven't seen a drop in that yet.
> with the plant closings I'm sure it will change for the worst before ya know it.


Be interesting to see if the supply starts to dry up. It may take awhile to see any effects of the closings if there any.


----------



## Mofatguy (Apr 24, 2020)

Went to buy pork belly yesterday.  $3.99/lb  I told them to keep it!  Last I bought was $3.45/lb @6 months ago.  I can buy store bought Jimmy Dean thick slice for $5.45 at the same store.  They are ripping people off and saying it's from Smithfield closing.  Yeah right.


----------



## smokerjim (Apr 24, 2020)

i'm a meatcutter in a local chain here, I can tell you our cost has gone up quite a bit on loins. butts have stayed about the same so far. we are being told cost is going up more along with beef prices.


----------



## noboundaries (Apr 24, 2020)

I generally only shop at one store for weekly needs, and a different, costlier chain for convenience needs. Distance plays a part. 

Beef prices at my preferred grocer have gone up to their non-sale price on just about everything, but they've been staying at the same level I saw late last summer when China opened their markets again to US beef. There was a 25% price spike almost immediately. The length of plant closings will determine if this gets worse.


----------



## GaryHibbert (Apr 25, 2020)

On Tuesday I drove up to Edmonton for our quarterly Costco run.  They had lots of pork ribs and sausage, but no butts, roasts, loin, or tenderloin.  I was just checking to see, since we just butchered a pig not long ago.
They had plenty of beef, but nothing considered a sale price.  Beef will be going up here in Alberta.  They just recently closed 2 of our biggest packing plants because of a hundred plus cases of the virus in each plant.  I'll probably buy half a beef from a rancher friend this fall.
Gary


----------



## illini40 (Apr 26, 2020)

smokerjim said:


> i'm a meatcutter in a local chain here, I can tell you our cost has gone up quite a bit on loins. butts have stayed about the same so far. we are being told cost is going up more along with beef prices.



What are you seeing as availability from your distributor? Any other updates you can share?

No butts or loins to be found near us. Bacon is hit and miss. I’m concerned about supply and prices come late summer and fall.


----------



## smokerjim (Apr 26, 2020)

illini40 said:


> What are you seeing as availability from your distributor? Any other updates you can share?
> 
> No butts or loins to be found near us. Bacon is hit and miss. I’m concerned about supply and prices come late summer and fall.


So far we've been getting most of our pork, yeah our orders are getting cut but we're still getting some. Bacon and hotdogs are hot and miss.


----------



## smokerjim (May 1, 2020)

illini40 said:


> What are you seeing as availability from your distributor? Any other updates you can share?
> 
> No butts or loins to be found near us. Bacon is hit and miss. I’m concerned about supply and prices come late summer and fall.


Just got word today within the next 2 weeks we are going to see pork become a little scarce. And prices through the roof. Guess we'll have to wait and see.


----------



## rc4u (May 1, 2020)

nice to live in north central US. lotsa meat the 22# usda prime packer i cut point off was $3.28 a #. goes on smoker tonight.. well took 5.5 #'s fat off. heck chicken qtrs are $,.60 cents a pound. course i have chickens n geese in my backyard.   heres a deal i buy  https://www.samsclub.com/p/case-sal...ins-per-bag/prod17730014?xid=plp_product_1_10


----------



## Braz (May 1, 2020)

Two local grocers are advertising pork buts for $.99/lb. I am planning an excursion out into the plague filled world tomorrow to see if they actually have any.
Just read that pork producers in Iowa are euthanizing more that a million hogs because they have nowhere to sell them. Economics is baffling.


----------

