OHIO — Meat packaging plants across the country have been forced to reduce staff due to the coronavirus and that has resulted in higher demand and higher prices.
News Center 7′s Katy Andersen spoke with experts in the industry about what this means for shoppers.
“From last week to this week, prices have already jump more than 25 percent," said Zink’s Meats and Fine Wines owner Melissa Metzger.
Metzger has tried to order bone-in pork chops for the last three days, but hasn’t had any luck due to her Indiana supplier being shut down to COVID-19.
“That’s why we are having trouble getting some of the pork products," explained Metzger. "All of our beef is sourced from the upper Cleveland area so at this point we are lucky they are still working and taking care of us.”
The executive director of the Ohio Cattleman’s Association, Elizabeth Harsh, explained that it is not a lack of supply but a lack of people to help turn the supply into food.
“So it’s probably more of their production speed than shutdowns, and again, we have to make sure they are doing everything to protect their workers, keeping everyone safe in the process," explained Harsh. "So that’s probably what’s causing some of the shortage in terms of getting that product through the supply chain to the retailer.”
Slow production and high demand has prices soaring. Metzger says within days the cost of ground chuck went up two dollars a pound.
“In the eleven years that I have had this business, I have never seen my cost of ground chuck be over $4.50 a pound and it’s almost $5 a pound at my cost,” said Metzger.
This has forced her to raise prices but barely make any profit.
“My fear is the prices are going to go so high people are going to go so high that people can’t afford it, so then what do you do?” explained Metzger.
Both Metzer and Harsh say the last thing anyone should do right now is panic and hoard meat. Instead, they encourage people to buy enough meat to feed your family for about two weeks.
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