The price increase for meat from last year to this year is enough to make many families rethink their Christmas menu. Traditional Christmas dinners will be less common in 2022. The meat price increases were seen throughout the year and have worsened because in December there is a higher demand for the products.
This year, some cuts are up 20% in price compared to 2021 and, unfortunately, a decrease is not in the forecast.
Ukraine made some of the main products used in Costa Rica to raise animals for consumption, such as corn, soybean and fertilizers. Corn and soy are raw materials that represent over 80% of poultry feed. The war between Russia and the Ukraine has affected the prices we see at the butchers and in supermarkets.
High inflation worldwide is another factor. In general, the meat section (beef, pork, and chicken) registered a year-on-year variation of 15.35% and the fish section 13.25%. Inflation grew to a peak of 12.13% and is currently at 8.26%, meaning the cost of meat and fish increased more than inflation.
The biggest jump was in the cost of beef tenderloin, which increased by 22.5% in the last year.
