On Monday, Tyson Foods, a major supplier responsible for approximately 20% of the beef, pork, and poultry in the United States, announced the closure of four chicken plants.
These plants, situated in two locations in Missouri, one in Indiana, and one in Arkansas, are being shut down due to a decrease in chicken revenue. This decision follows the company’s prior announcement of two plant closures during the spring.
The company’s financial report for the quarter ending on July 1 revealed a decline of around 3.5% in chicken revenue. Despite an increase in production volumes, the prices experienced a notable drop of 5.5%.
On a broader scale within the United States, a combination of reduced demand in retail and limited discounts at restaurants contributed to the decline in prices for boneless chicken breast meat during the second quarter. This information comes from a report published by Rabobank in July. The report indicates that chicken breast prices plummeted by 60% compared to the same period last year, which had seen record-high levels. This drop can be attributed to an abundant supply of chicken and a variety of alternatives such as ground beef.
During an analyst call on Monday, Tyson’s CEO, Donnie King, attributed the decline in the company’s chicken sales to these prevailing market conditions.
“Market conditions in chicken are still challenged with commodity prices across most cuts remaining significantly lower compared to last year,” King said.
