Title: Why Are Food Prices Soaring During Coronavirus?
Headings: Why the Coronavirus Outbreak Has Sent Food Prices Soaring
Why the Coronavirus Outbreak Has Sent Food Prices Soaring
There are ways you can lower your grocery bill now
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Easing the price pain
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Content: That takes time, drives down supply and increases prices. Finally, there's the disease itself, which forced the closure of several meat processing plants earlier this year. Many of those have reopened, but they have to provide greater protections for their workers. In Michigan, for instance, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer directed companies to modify their processing lines to minimize the number of employees inside a facility during a shift. The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects food prices to decline next year, as production could return to relatively normal levels. The USDA forecasts a 1.5 to 2.5 percent decrease in the cost of beef and virtually flat egg prices. Easing the price pain
Food is a big part of household budgets, so high prices can upset household finances. To some extent, declines in the cost of other necessities may offset rising food prices. The national average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline, for example, is $2.187, according to AAA, down from $2.750 a year ago, and most people aren't driving much during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other prices are down, too. “