US Thanksgiving meal costs up 14pc: Farm Bureau
US shoppers are facing a 14pc increase in the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal compared with last year, as consumer prices push to a 31-year high amid surging demand and logistical bottlenecks.
The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people is estimated at $53.31, or less than $6/person, marking a 14pc jump from last year's average of $46.90, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual survey.
The sharp increase from last year's meal stems from climbing prices for turkey, which rose by 24pc to about $23.99 for a 16-lb turkey, the Farm Bureau added.
Farm Bureau senior economics Veronica Nigh cited Covid-19-related disruptions to the domestic and global supply chains, which contributed to surging inflation and pressure to various supply chains during the last 20 months.
"The trend of consumers cooking and eating at home more often due to the pandemic led to increased supermarket demand and higher retail food prices in 2020 and 2021, compared to pre-pandemic prices in 2019," Nigh said in an 18 November statement.
Turkey slaughter and production this year lags last year's rates by about 3pc from 2020, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), at a time consumer demand rebounds from a year ago. Turkey slaughter rates from January-October reached about 180.6mn head compared to 186.4mn head during the same period a year ago, weighing on full-year production estimates by about 2pc from last year to 5.6bn lbs.
Higher turkey prices could also stem from lower cold-storage inventories, which retracted by 19pc in October compared with the year prior, according to the USDA.
The Farm Bureau added rising costs in other key Thanksgiving foods also contributed to the year-over-year jump in overall meal costs, with non-turkey costs jumping by 6.6pc from a year ago — in line with increases in the US consumer price index.
US consumer prices jumped by 6.2pc in October from a year earlier, marking the largest annual increase since 1990, led by a 30pc gain in the energy price index, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS food index increased by 5.3pc during the 12-month period.
Related news posts
Chuvas no Rio Grande do Sul alagam o estado
Chuvas no Rio Grande do Sul alagam o estado
Sao Paulo, 6 May (Argus) — O estado do Rio Grande do Sul continua sendo afetado pelas fortes chuvas que começaram em 29 de abril, levando o governo a decretar estado de emergência em 2 de maio. Os maiores volumes de chuva atingiram as áreas centrais do Rio Grande do Sul, com cidades recebendo chuvas entre 150mm a 500mm, de acordo com dados da Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural (Emater-RS) do Rio Grande do Sul. A estação de monitoramento da cidade de Restinga Seca, no centro do estado, registrou o recorde de quase 540mm. As chuvas no Rio Grande do Sul superaram 135mm na maior parte do estado, de acordo com o Instituto de Meteorologia dos Estados Unidos (Noaa, na sigla em inglês). Enquanto isso, nas demais regiões do Brasil prevaleceu o clima seco. O NOAA espera que as chuvas diminuíam nesta semana, mas as condições climáticas adversas devem continuar. Até 3 de maio, 154 trechos de 68 rodovias estavam totalmente ou parcialmente bloqueadas, de acordo com a Defesa Civil do estado. A usina hidrelétrica 14 de julho, com capacidade de 100MW, também foi afetada e teve sua operação parcialmente rompida. O porto do Rio Grande não suspendeu as operações, porém a movimentação está mais lenta. Apesar das chuvas intensas, as taxas de demurrage e o tempo de espera para atracação e desembarque ficou estável em $1/tonelada (t) e os custos totais para a movimentação de fertilizantes permaneceram em $19/t. Porém, participantes de mercado esperam que a situação mude nos próximos dias, o que deve aumentar as taxas de demurrage. Se a chuva não parar e os níveis do Rio Guaíba continuarem subindo, é provável que algumas áreas do porto inundem nos próximos dias, como aconteceu no porto de Porto Alegre. Em meio a movimentação de carga mais lenta, dificuldades logísticas e a demanda para serviços de transporte de fertilizantes, que já estava baixa, o frete de fertilizante na rota Rio Grande-Dourados, monitorada semanalmente pela Argus, caiu em média R$20/t, para R$225-250/t. Excesso de chuva pode prejudicar safra de soja O Rio Grande do Sul está colhendo a safra de soja 2023-24, que deve ser a segunda maior do país nesta temporada. Os trabalhos alcançaram 76pc da área esperada no estado até 2 de maio, avanço de 10 pontos percentuais na semana, apesar do excesso de chuvas, segundo a Emater-RS. Os agricultores aproveitaram as janelas mais curtas de clima favorável— ou quando as chuvas diminuíram — para intensificar as atividades de campo, especialmente nas áreas em que eram esperadas produtividades maiores e que não foram profundamente afetadas pela seca no início do ano. Os níveis de umidade dos grãos colhidos são considerados acima da média e vão necessitar de mais investimentos no processo de secagem. Algumas áreas reportaram germinação prematura e queda das plantas em razão do excesso de umidade. A Emater-RS mantém a produtividade média do estado projetada em 3.329 kg/hectare (ha), com os resultados recentes permanecendo dentro das projeções anteriores, de acordo com o boletim de 2 de maio, divulgado semanalmente pelo órgão. Com isso, ainda é esperado que a produção de soja do Rio Grande do Sul alcance o recorde de 22,2 milhões de t. No entanto, participantes de mercado concordam que as projeções para o estado devem cair nas próximas semana, uma vez que os estudos de campo começam avaliar com precisão os prejuízos causados pelo excesso de chuvas. Por João Petrini, Maria Albuquerque e Nathalia Giannetti Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.
Floods halt firms' operations in Brazil's south
Floods halt firms' operations in Brazil's south
Sao Paulo, 6 May (Argus) — Several Brazilian companies have suspended operations in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul because of heavy rainfall that has caused severe floods and infrastructure damage. Flooding from the record rains has left at least 83 dead with 111 people missing, according to the state government. More than 23,000 people have been forced from of their homes amid widespread damage, including washed out bridges and roads across several cities. The dam of the 100MW 14 de Julho hydroelectric plant, on the Antas River, ruptured last week under the heavy rains . Power generation company Companhia Energetica Rio das Antas, which runs the plant, implemented an emergency evacuation plan on 1 May. Brazilian steelmaker Gerdau said on Monday that it suspended its operations in two mills at the state until it can ensure "people's protection and safety." The company did not disclose the produced volume of steel at those two mills. Logistics company Rumo partially interrupted operations and said that "damages to assets are still being properly measured". Petrochemical giant Braskem shut down its facilities at the Triunfo petrochemical complex as a preventive measure because of "extreme weather events" in the state, it said on 3 May. The company added there was no expected date to resume activities there. Braskem operates eight industrial units in Rio Grande do Sul that make 5mn metric tonnes/yr of basic petrochemicals, polyethylene and polypropylene, according to its website. By Carolina Pulice Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Fire hits Vance Bioenergy's Pasir Gudang facility
Fire hits Vance Bioenergy's Pasir Gudang facility
Singapore, 6 May (Argus) — A fire broke out at Malaysian biodiesel producer Vance Bioenergy's Pasir Gudang facility in southern Johor today, but did not affect biodiesel production, said sources close to the company. Some auxiliary products were affected, a source said but declined to name them because of commercial sensitivity. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Vance Bioenergy produces biodiesel for the Malaysian and European markets, but there has been limited market reaction to the news so far. The company has a total biodiesel production capacity of 450,000 t/yr, with 300,000 t/yr at Tanjung Langsat and 150,000 t/yr at Pasir Gudang. By Sarah Giam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Heavy rainfall floods Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul
Heavy rainfall floods Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul
Sao Paulo, 3 May (Argus) — Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state continues to flood after heavy rainfall since 29 April, leading the government to declare an emergency yesterday. The highest volumes reached the central areas of Rio Grande do Sul, with cities receiving rainfall of 150-500mm (6-20 inches), regional rural agency Emater-RS data show. The monitoring station of Restinga Seca city, in the center of the state, recorded rainfall of about 540mm. Rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul overall surpassed 135mm in most of the state, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Meanwhile, dry weather prevailed in other Brazilian regions. NOAA expects rainfall to abate in the next week, but adverse weather conditions are set to remain. As of today, 154 sections of 68 highways were totally or partially blocked, according to the state's emergency service. The 100MW 14 de Julho hydroelectric plant also partially ruptured . The Rio Grande port has not suspended operations, but handling is slower. Despite the heavy rainfalls, demurrage rates and waiting queues for docking and unloading were not altered. Demurrage rates were stable at $1/metric tonne (t) and the total cost for handling fertilizers remained at $19/t. But market participants expect the situation to change in the coming days, which may increase demurrage rates. If the rain does not stop and the level of the Guaiba River continues to rise, some areas in the port are likely to flood in the coming days, as is the case in part of the Porto Alegre port. Amid slower cargo release, logicitical difficulties and the already-low demand for fertilizer transport services, fertilizer freight rates on the Rio Grande-Dourados route, monitored weekly by Argus , fell by R20/t ($4/t), on average, to R225-250/t. Excessive rainfall to damage 2023-24 soybean crop Rio Grande do Sul is harvesting its 2023-24 soybean crop, set to be the second largest in the country this season. Works reached 76pc of the state's expected acreage by 2 May, posting an weekly advancement of 10 percentage points despite the excessive rainfall, according to the rural agency Emater-RS. Farmers seized shorter windows of more favorable weather — or when rainfall subsided — to intensify field activities, especially in areas expected to register higher yields and that were not deeply affected by a drought earlier in the year. The moisture levels of grains harvested are considered above average and will require more investment in their drying processes. Some areas reported premature germination and plant decay because of the humidity excess. Emater-RS maintains the state's average yields estimated at 3,329 kg/hectare, with recent results remaining within prior projections, according to the agency's weekly report released on 2 May. Thus, soybean production in Rio Grande do Sul is still set to reach a record 22.2mn metric tonnes (t). But market participants agree that forecasts for the state may be revised down in the next weeks, as field surveys begin to accurately assess the excessive rainfall's total damages. By João Petrini, Maria Albuquerque and Nathalia Giannetti Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Business intelligence reports
Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.
Learn more