This year has been an interesting year for the fresh pork category. Supply shortage predictions have certainly made an impact on the industry, making the market more volatile than previous years.
Earlier this year, pork supplies were predicted to shrink by up to 10 percent. Pork producers countered this forecast by holding hogs back longer and increasing their average carcass weights. Meanwhile, corn prices plummeted, making this an effective strategy. Although supply was predicted to decrease 10 percent, actual pork tonnage decreased by only 1.7 percent.