By Christmas Eve you probably have your Christmas dinner plans already made. This article looks at wholesale meat prices for some popular celebration cuts. Wholesale prices are used due to a lack of retail prices for many cuts. These prices give a good fundamental look at meat prices even though a grocery store customer might have scored a deal through weekly features at their store.
Beef
Prime rib, a standing rib roast, or ribeyes are a great holiday dinner. Ribeye prices increased, as usual, in the runup to Christmas. Prices normally increase this time of the year as demand picks up for these cuts for holiday dinners. Prices increased more than seasonally this year compared to prices last year or a 5-year average. Wholesale, boneless, ribeyes hit $15.61 per pound before dropping to $12.00 per pound in mid-December after holiday buying hit its peak. Strength in the primal rib value boosted boxed beef cutout values which spilled over into higher fed cattle prices late in the year.
Pork
Hams jumped higher while pork loins languished late in the year. Wholesale 23-27 pound hams increased to $1.09 per pound by mid-December, well above last year’s $0.76 per pound. That was not the high price for the year as the peak occurred in mid-year, as is often the case with pork due to normally reduced supplies during summer. Pork loins were $0.94 cents per pound compared to $1.01 last year. Hams, bellies, and ribs prices have boosted the pork cutout values. If pork tamales are included in your holiday fare, pork butts have helped. Pork butt primal values have been lower than last year through most of the Fall.
Lamb
Wholesale rack of lamb prices have been about the same as a year ago, $11.44 per pound, in recent weeks. Light racks have been a little higher than last year while medium racks have been a little cheaper than the year before. Loin prices have been about equal to a year ago throughout the Fall.
Turkey
Wholesale 8-16 pound hen prices jumped higher after Thanksgiving. They hit $1.04 per pound in mid-December compared to $0.86 per pound a year ago. Prices remain well below the 5-year average. Continued turkey losses from HPAI and the financial hit from low prices will likely continue to cut supplies and move prices higher in the new year.
Whatever your holiday dinner choice, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all the Southern Ag Today livestock economists!
Anderson, David. “Christmas Dinner!” Southern Ag Today 4(52.2). December 24, 2024. Permalink
