The typical value of a Thanksgiving feast for 10 folks this yr is
down 28%, after Arizona customers confronted “traditionally excessive” costs for
their Thanksgiving meal components in 2022.
The Arizona Farm Bureau’s annual market basket survey
of the standard fixings for Thanksgiving estimates {that a} conventional
meal for 10 folks will value $51.89 this yr – or round $5.19 per
particular person – a $19.99 lower from final yr’s whole invoice of $71.88.
The survey buying record contains turkey, stuffing, candy potatoes,
rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, milk, plus pumpkin
pie with whipped cream, all in portions enough to serve a household
of 10 with loads of leftovers.
Value checks on meals objects had been collected by Arizona Farm Bureau
volunteer leaders who went to native grocery shops the week of Nov. 6.
No gross sales or promotions had been included.
The Arizona Farm Bureau is a farm and ranch group devoted to
preserving and bettering the agriculture business by way of member
involvement in advocacy, communication and training that helps
Arizona farmers and ranchers.
“Arizona farmers can virtually develop and lift all the things that’s on the
conventional Thanksgiving meal aside from the cranberries. We
simply get too sizzling out right here in Arizona. We will even provide Arizona-grown
roses for centerpieces simply because our agriculture is so various in
Arizona,” stated Arizona Farm Bureau Strategic Communications Director
Julie Murphree.
These things are the identical meals objects used within the Farm Bureau survey for the previous three a long time.
The one two components within the Arizona survey that went up in value
are a 1-pound bag of frozen inexperienced peas, which elevated by 4 cents, and a
vegetable tray, up by 3 cents per pound.
A 16-pound turkey bought in Arizona this yr was $18.32, or $1.14
per pound, in comparison with final yr’s $32.02 for a 16-pound turkey, a 43%
lower from the 2022 turkey value.
“It’s all in regards to the turkey. The turkey is 50% of the normal
Thanksgiving meal. It had probably the most dramatic discount. The primary cause
for that’s we’ve a wholesome provide of turkeys throughout the United
States,” Murphree stated.
She stated the turkey provide final yr was tight and somewhat bit down
due to the avian flu, which swept by way of quite a lot of home flocks
on the time. The flu didn’t decimate turkey farmer’s flocks this yr.
In line with a 2022 report by the Facilities for Illness Management and
Prevention, greater than 49 million birds in 46 states died final yr
earlier than Thanksgiving on account of chicken flu an infection or needed to be
killed as a result of they had been uncovered to contaminated birds.
Alex Arizmendi is the owner-operator of Ridgeview Farm in Paulden,
the place he raises chickens and turkeys – yearly he loses poultry to
illness and different causes.
“All of it is determined by what number of turkeys I lose,” Arizmendi stated of the
value, noting he misplaced about 50 turkeys this yr. “Yearly the gross sales
have elevated since 2019. Final yr I feel I crossed 340, and this
yr I’m promoting about 370 turkeys.”
He stated the retail value for his recent turkeys is $5 a pound and wholesale is $4.25.
Not all turkeys are down in value this yr, in response to Lisa Khan, the CEO of Moon River Beef in Perkinsville.
“Our turkeys are $175, we promote specialised turkeys which might be known as
heritage breed turkeys, they’re gradual rising versus those
that you just discover on the grocery retailer which might be fast rising,” Khan stated.
“Our costs went up from final yr as a result of feed costs and gasoline costs
went up. We charged $150 final yr.”
Even with larger costs, Khan stated the corporate nonetheless bought out of
turkeys final week. She stated clients are shopping for briskets, tenderloins
and rib roasts for his or her Thanksgiving meals as properly.
The American Farm Bureau stories
that Thanksgiving meals nationwide will lower in value this yr by
4.5%, from $64.05 to $61.17 for a meal to serve 10. That’s $9.28 extra
than the identical Thanksgiving meal would value in Arizona.
Regardless, celebrating Thanksgiving dinner this yr will likely be less expensive than final yr’s document excessive costs.
“I feel for these households that love their turkey, they will
be much more excited this yr that the value is so significantly better. It’s
extra in regards to the particular person household traditions,” Murphree stated.