Well, you might want to think twice before adding it to your shopping list. There have been rumors that ham and other meat products might not be available because of things like a lack of workers, problems in the supply chain, and a lack of packaging materials.
There are a lot of people who are wondering if they’ll be able to find the meats they need to make their favorite holiday meals.
This article will explain the current situation in the meat business and check to see if there really is a ham shortage.
The holidays just don’t feel right without a glistening baked ham as the centerpiece of the table. But as I’ve cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners over the past couple years, I’ve noticed that finding a classic whole bone-in ham is harder than ever. What gives? Is there really a ham shortage happening?
As a lover of salty, savory holiday ham I decided to get to the bottom of why this menu staple is so hard to track down lately. Here’s what I discovered about the apparent ham shortage along with tips for serving this tradition on your next special occasion.
What’s Causing the Vanishing Ham?
A few key factors have created the current ham shortage situation:
-
Decreased pork production due to COVID-19 plant closures and slowdowns
-
Labor shortages at meat processing facilities slowing output.
-
Increased demand for pork products domestically and abroad.
-
Ongoing supply chain disruptions making deliveries unreliable.
Basically, it’s become a challenge for pork producers to keep up with demand, especially for whole bone-in hams. The processing and transportation hiccups of the past two years have only exacerbated supply issues.
How Hard Is It to Find a Holiday Ham?
While the traditional whole bone-in ham may be scarce, there are still plenty of ways to get your ham fix:
-
Boneless hams – While tricky to find bone-in, boneless hams have better availability.
-
Ham steaks – These thick ham slices are widely available and easy to cook.
-
Spiral sliced ham – These pre-sliced hams are slightly easier to source than unsliced.
-
Canned ham – Mass produced canned ham is easy to locate year-round.
-
Deli ham – Pre-packaged sliced ham works nicely for smaller gatherings.
-
Specialty stores – Local butchers or high-end grocers may have better ham access.
Will Availability and Prices Improve for the Holidays?
The good news is that ham supplies are expected to increase to meet holiday demand. Pork production is trending upwards again after pandemic declines. Retailers also build inventory ahead of major holidays like Christmas.
However, rising costs mean holiday hams will likely be more expensive. Wholesale bone-in ham prices have increased 33% over 2021. At retail, expect to spend 10-15% more on ham this holiday season.
Tips for Finding Your Holiday Ham
With some effort and savvy shopping, you can beat the ham shortage this holiday season. Here are my tips:
-
Shop early and buy a ham when you see it. Freeze it if needed.
-
Ask your butcher if they have availability info or can special order one.
-
Check smaller specialty grocers along with big chains.
-
Consider mail order from online specialty food retailers.
-
Buy boneless roasts and steaks if whole hams can’t be found.
-
Get creative and cure your own fresh uncured ham at home!
Still Celebrating with Ham This Season
Although the traditional bone-in ham may be more elusive, consumers still have plenty of ways to enjoy ham this holiday season. Between spiral cut, canned, deli, and steaks, your ham cravings can absolutely be satisfied.
A holiday table just isn’t complete without the piney, sweet, salty savor of ham. By shopping early and keeping an open mind, you can serve this timeless tradition to your guests this year. Remember – where there’s a will, there’s a ham!
Factors Contributing To Potential Meat Shortages
The meat industry is facing a number of challenges that could potentially lead to shortages in the future. One of the main factors is labor shortages. Due to low pay and bad working conditions, many workers have been sick or quit during the COVID-19 pandemic that is still going on. This has made it difficult for manufacturers to produce and distribute meat products.
Another factor contributing to potential meat shortages is supply chain disruptions. Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine has messed up supply chains from Europe in a big way, which could make it harder to get some products in the US. Additionally, extreme weather events such as winter storms can also impact the transportation and distribution of meat products.
Packaging material shortages are also a concern. Packaging materials like aluminum and plastic are becoming harder to find, which can make it harder for companies to package and ship meat products. This, in turn, can lead to delays in getting products to market and potentially contribute to shortages.
Lastly, disease outbreaks among animals can also impact the meat supply. For example, African swine fever has killed off a lot of pigs in China and other places, which has caused a big drop in pork production.
All of these things could cause meat shortages in the future, especially for beef and pork. People need to be aware of these problems and make plans to deal with them, like stocking up on their favorite meats when they’re in season and thinking about other protein sources in case they need to.
Is There A Ham Shortage?
The short answer is yes, there is a ham shortage. There have been many problems in the meat industry that have affected the production and distribution of meat products, such as ham.
One of the main factors contributing to the shortage is labor shortages. Due to low pay and bad working conditions, many workers have been sick or quit during the COVID-19 pandemic that is still going on. This has made it difficult for manufacturers to produce and distribute meat products, including ham.
In addition to labor shortages, supply chain disruptions have also played a role in the ham shortage. As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, supply chains from Europe have been severely disrupted, making some goods less available in the United States.
Furthermore, packaging material shortages have also impacted the distribution of meat products. Packaging materials like aluminum and plastic are becoming harder to find, which makes it harder for companies to package and ship meat products like ham.
All of these things have made it so that grocery stores across the country are short on ham and other meat products. There may still be ham in some stores, but it’s likely that supplies will be low, and prices may be higher than usual because of it.
Is There Really Going To Be A Food Shortage
FAQ
Why is it hard to find ham?
Why is there a meat shortage right now?
Is there a problem with ham?
Why is there a pork shortage?
Why is there a ham shortage in Jamaica?
A similar ham issue is happening in Jamaica. According to Jamaica Observer, the combination of import restrictions as well as higher costs for domestic production looks to have caused a ham shortage. While improvements have been seen over the past several months, the pork bounty isn’t quite as robust this year.
Why are Ham and pork trimming markets falling?
Historically, the ham markets weaken through August, before finding support again nearing September. Both pork trimming markets continued to increase. The trimming markets are getting close to their historical summer highs, after which they tend to fall due to weaker demand, according to analysts.
What happened to Ham markets in August?
The ham markets continued to decline rather sharply from elevated levels that had recently approached their 10-year highs. Historically, the ham markets weaken through August, before finding support again nearing September. Both pork trimming markets continued to increase.
Why are Ham prices rising?
The sharp one-day rise in ham prices comes as the omicron variant keeps workers out of U.S. slaughterhouses, hitting meat production. Absenteeism at meat plants has roughly doubled in recent days.