LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- Bacon, sausage, pork chops, all staples of a southern meal, but experts say a shortage is unavoidable. So we spoke with the executive vice president of the Pork Producers Association here in Arkansas. They say the shortage won't be terrible, but we could see prices going up.
"I think inflation is horrible right around now," says Bronson Taylor, as he looks over the cold food section of Bonner's Grocery Store in Little Rock.
According to Britain's National Pig Association, we could see this section decrease. The Association says a pork shortage is unavoidable due to the shrinking herds. So we went to Jerry Masters, one of the leaders of Arkansas' pork producers. He doesn't expect us to run out of those breakfast staples we love so much.
"If you're thinking that we are going to be standing in line to buy pork, that's not the case, but pork producers are facing many different challenges," says Masters. "We had a drought nationwide, we use a feed stock of corn and soy beans and they produce that in the Midwest and we are going to be suffering for that."
Once the prices of grain go up, many pig farmers must make a decision. Masters says there is a lot of liquidating in the pork industry because farmers can't afford to feed their animals. The liquidation and drought will cause the prices of pork to rise.
Masters says pig farm production costs are up 82 percent and that could mean a 25 percent increase for pork products at the store. He also estimates those farmers are losing about fifty dollars a head for every animal they sell. If you want to see this month's report from the department of agriculture click here. Master's estimates we could see pork prices escalate in the next couple of months.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/870819/ldpm218.pdf
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