North Carolina is a major producer of Thanksgiving essentials like turkeys and sweet potatoes, and it should be a good year for consumers this holiday season when it comes to these agricultural products.
Jeffrey Dorfman is the Hugh C. Kiger Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University.
He says the cost of turkeys is up a bit due to the spread of avian flu. But many consumers probably won’t notice because grocery chains are subsidizing the cost more than in past years.
“Grocery stores actually negotiate with the turkey companies in like January and February for the next fall's Thanksgiving order," he says. "Then the grocery stores sell them at a loss in hopes that we'll buy our pie crust and our pumpkin pie filling and the butter and everything else there.”
North Carolina also produces more than half of the nation’s sweet potatoes. Last year’s crops were heavily damaged by hurricanes.
Dorfman says this year’s production is better, so prices should come down.
But while the agricultural prices are good for consumers this season, he says many farmers are looking to break even in 2025 and will hope for better commodity prices next year.