I've Got a Beef

[billroper]

Something odd is going on with the beef prices at Sam's Club.

In December, I could buy chuck roast for something like $3.50 / pound. That was up a little bit over the last few years, but nothing awful.

Around the end of December, the price of chuck roast went up to around $4.50 / pound.

When I went there last week, the price of chuck roast was $5.50 / pound.

Interestingly, the price of sirloin steak remains stable at just under $5.00 / pound; the price of beef brisket is hanging in at around $4.30 / pound.

I understand that the implied answer to this question about prices is "So, you'll be eating more sirloin and brisket than chuck roast now."

But still -- what the heck is going on?

Comments

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

NPR reported last week that droughts have led to higher-priced cattle feed, therefore fewer beef cattle, thus rising prices. They said that even if feed prices drop soon, expect it to take several years (since gestation takes 9 months & cattle are usually not slaughtered before age 2) for herds to increase enough to bring prices back down.