A market analyst says this year’s Thanksgiving bird could cost 10 to 15 percent more than last year.
Animal protein analyst Will Sawyer with Rabobank said while supplies are available for the Thanksgiving turkey market, prices are still being affected by avian influenza.
“The impact to supply has been far less than the spike in prices, so overall profitability in the turkey sector is quite strong.”
Sawyer said turkey producers in the Southeast will benefit the most from those serving a traditional meal later this month.
“It’s really the Southeast that was lucky enough, I’d say, to have dodged the AI bullet earlier this year that’s really going to be in a prime position to fill that demand for turkey—especially for the larger birds that had been impacted by the virus.”
He expects traditional consumers will be willing to pay more for turkey this year. But he says for the price conscience consumer, a holiday ham will be a more cost effective option for family gatherings.
Source: www.brownfieldagnews.com