Rising beef prices hit local shoppers and sellers
Luis Avila
COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – Beef prices are sizzling — and not in a good way. Shoppers across the Coachella Valley say they’re paying noticeably more for their favorite cuts, while local meat sellers are struggling to keep up with rising costs.
The higher prices are forcing some shoppers to make changes at the grocery store.
“It’s cheaper cuts of beef, it’s a lot more brisket. It has impacted the amount of beef I eat for sure.”
Michael Reno, Palm Desert Resident
According to recent data, ground beef sales are up about 12 percent from last year, while steak prices have climbed roughly 8 percent.
At Garibaldi Meat Market, manager Oscar Gutierrez says they’ve had to scale back orders just to stay afloat.
“We order what we can. Sometimes we don’t get it because of prices high and demand is so high.”
Oscar Gutierrez, Garibaldi Meat Market Manager
Experts say the spike comes down to supply and demand. Drought conditions and rising feed costs have forced ranchers to reduce herd sizes, tightening the beef supply nationwide.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of beef cattle in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. The average price of ground beef now sits at over six dollars per pound.
Gutierrez says his market tries to keep prices reasonable for customers, but there’s only so much they can absorb.
“Normally, we try to keep it average for consumers but at the end of the day it’s the consumers that take the hit.”
Oscar Gutierrez, Garibaldi Meat Market Manager
That means shoppers are paying more — and many say there’s little choice.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more.