Soaring food costs: Pork prices in Chai Nat spike

Consumers yesterday were victims of a surge in vegetable prices, followed by a 10-baht-per-kilogramme increase in pork prices today, eliciting urgent pleas from vendors to the government for assistance, as the burden of living expenses becomes progressively unbearable for citizens.

Within the bustling municipal market of Chai Nat, a disquieting trend persists, causing concern among both vendors and buyers: the escalating prices of essential food items and ingredients.

Today, April 24, pork prices remained static, yet an ominous announcement from the Swine Raisers Association loomed over the market.

The association declared an impending price hike of 4 baht per kilogramme at the farm gate, which is expected to cascade into a retail price increase of an average of 10 baht per kilogramme by tomorrow.

Consequently, the price of three-layer pork will jump from 180 to 190 baht per kilogramme, with loin meat escalating from 150 to 160 baht per kilogramme, and neck meat rising from 170 to 180 baht per kilogramme.

The situation is no better in the poultry department, where egg prices continue to hold at peak levels. Size 0 eggs, a premium variety, are selling for as much as 148 baht per tray. Size 1 eggs, commonly used by restaurants, have seen a price surge to 135 baht per tray, with other sizes following suit in a stepwise fashion.

Rising costs

Amnat Thongdonnian, a local curry rice vendor, voiced the struggles that many food sellers are facing. With profit margins shrinking due to rising costs, vendors are caught in a dire financial squeeze.

Just as they grappled with expensive vegetables yesterday, they now have to contend with pricey pork today. This predicament has left many vendors unable to swallow the increased costs or pass them on to consumers, leaving them in a bind.

Vendors like Amnat are calling on the government to address the issue swiftly, as the disparity between income and living expenses widens.

Everything is becoming more expensive, yet incomes are not keeping pace with these rising costs.

The financial strain is palpable among the people of Chai Nat, mirroring a broader economic challenge faced by communities across the nation.

As household budgets are stretched thin, the government’s response to this pressing issue will be closely monitored by those who find themselves navigating through this period of economic hardship.