High pork prices could remain through holiday season

Retail pork prices hit record high levels this summer and are expected to remain elevated heading into the holiday season, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts said.

In July, average retail pork prices reached the highest point of the year, $5.01 per pound, up from $4.92 a year ago, says David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock and food marketing economist and professor at Texas A&M.

“Supplies remain tight as U.S. pork production has edged lower due to reduced sow numbers, despite gains in productivity per litter,” he says. “Consumers should expect higher prices this fall because production is about the same as last year and we’re not seeing expansion in the herd.

“Without more production, prices are going to stay high.”

Pork continues to provide consumer value

Wholesale prices for several key cuts, including hams, pork bellies and trimmings used for sausage, are well above year-ago levels, Anderson says.

Pork loins, however, are a relative bargain at $1.13 per pound wholesale, compared to $1.26 a year ago. Seasonal shifts in consumer demand also shape the market; ribs and shoulders are popular for summer grilling, while hams gain momentum in the fall and winter holidays.

Despite the record-high prices, Davey Griffin, AgriLife Extension meat specialist and professor in the Department of Animal Science, says pork remains a competitively priced protein compared to beef and poultry.