This composite photo shows how the price of ground sirloin has increased at one local supermarket.
PHILIPSBURG--The closure of meat-processing plants in the United States coupled with the shortage of fresh meat – including ground beef, poultry and pork – has resulted in prices going up exponentially, in some cases more than double.
One consumer presented photos of 0.520 kilograms of ground sirloin purchased at a local establishment with a packing date of May 5, 2020, for NAf. 10.77 and 0.615kg of the same meat with a packaging date of May 20, 2020 for a whopping NAf. 27.47.
In explaining the sharp hike, Carrefour Market General Manager Thilak M.V. Pillai said prices of fresh meat have gone up more than double because of a shortage. “This includes the ground beef prices. Also, prices have gone up on fresh poultry and pork.”
He shared some information from the supermarket’s supplier, who said: “We are seeing wholesale meat price inflation at a pace that we have never witnessed before, as concerns are growing about a nationwide meat shortage. At the same time, livestock prices are crumbling because there is nowhere to send the animals for slaughter, as the meat-processing plants do not have the labour to accommodate the large number of animals.”
The supplier said dozens of large meat-processing facilities have closed their doors in response to thousands of workers testing positive for the coronavirus. “Even ground beef 50s (which is normally the less-lean meat used most heavily by food service) has increased,” the supplier informed Carrefour.
