Shortage of workers at meat processing plants means higher prices in stores

MANTACHIE, Miss. (WCBI) – A shortage of workers at meat processing plants meant higher prices for beef going into Memorial Day Weekend.

The shortage of workers at meat processors due to COVID-19 restrictions meant there was a slowdown in getting the supply to stores, like “Sam’s Town Market” in Mantachie.

That led to price increases, because of panic buying during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sam Farris was the owner of “Sam’s Town Market” and said his store has taken steps to keep customers informed and reduce prices where possible.

“Any information we get we pass that along to our customers, to make sure they understand and in turn, we also try and accommodate them, we reduced the sizes of some packs so the total price is not as high, we can take other preventative measures, on the shelves, we can cut our margins a little bit, we’ve done that in the last couple of weeks, we make enough to keep the doors opened right now because we want to make sure our customers are taken care of and they can get the food they need to take care of themselves and their families,” Farris said.

Farris believed meat prices will level off in the next few weeks, as meat processing plants across the country get more workers back on the job.