Consumers will pay more for their Thanksgiving turkey this year

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Turkey prices this year are around 20% more expensive than in 2021, according to Jayson Lusk, professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University.

Thankfully, the price increase has slowed down. Within the last few weeks, the price increase has dropped to between 9% and 10%.

Lusk said the biggest factor driving up turkey prices was a wave of avian influenza that hit this spring.

According to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, more than 180,000 birds have been affected by the flu in Indiana.

This decrease in turkey supply has led to higher prices as demand increases during the holiday season.

Even though turkey prices are higher, it remains an affordable meat option compared to other main protein sources, Lusk said.

He predicted turkey prices will fall as flocks recover from bird flu.