According to the Department of Labor, store-purchased food rose by 2.6 percent in cost during April representing the largest monthly increase since 1974.  Data for May is expected to reflect additional increases in price. This is consistent with the data generated by Nielsen documenting a 5.8 percent increase in food prices from March 1st through May 20th compared with the corresponding period in 2019. 

Despite restoration of beef and pork production to approximately 90 percent of pre-COVID levels, there are still some shortages in store coolers and prices are higher compared with the last quarter of 2019.  In contrast, egg prices have reverted to pre-COVID levels following a sharp increase in March due to “refrigerator loading” creating an imbalance between consumer demand and supply. 

Subscribers are directed to the weekly egg price and inventory report for the current week and the review of May USDA egg production costs and statistics both in this edition of EGG-NEWS.