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'Meatflation' concerns rise as prices jump 30% in March

Published: 15 Apr. 2026, 17:32

A customer looks at meat in a supermarket in Seoul on April 12. [NEWS1]

Meat prices in Korea are rising sharply, led by a more than 30 percent jump in chicken prices last month, raising fresh concerns that “meatflation” could intensify in the months ahead.

The price pressure is being driven by two forces at once: Poultry supply has tightened after winter outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza led to large-scale culls, while feed costs could climb further as the won weakens and global supply chain risks increase amid the Iran war, the Korea Rural Economic Institute said Wednesday.

Broiler prices rose to 2,550 won per kilogram (78 cents per pound) in March, up 30.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the institute. Duck meat prices also climbed steeply, reaching 3,604 won per kilogram in March, up 36 percent on year. Egg prices have eased from their October peak, but extra-large eggs were still 11.4 percent more expensive than a year earlier at 1,772 won for 10 eggs.

The winter bird flu season took a heavy toll on supply. More than 806,000 broilers and broiler breeders were culled between November and March, while the number of broiler breeders destroyed was nearly four times higher than a year earlier. Ducks and laying hens were also hit hard, with culls amounting to roughly 16 percent and 14 percent of total stock, respectively.

Hanwoo (Korean beef) prices are also moving higher. Wholesale prices rose 20.7 percent from a year earlier to 21,762 won per kilogram last month as slaughter volumes declined following a drop in female cattle inventories since 2023. The upward trend is likely to persist for some time since hanwoo production takes years from breeding to butchering.

Pork is displayed at a supermarket in Seoul on April 9. [NEWS1]

The report warned that Korea’s livestock industry remains highly exposed to imported feed grain costs, leaving farmers vulnerable to shifts in global grain prices and exchange rates. If rising production costs continue to overlap with disease-driven supply shortages, the strain could weaken the country’s livestock supply base over the medium to long term.

The government plans to ease the burden on consumers by expanding imports and offering discounts.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM KYUNG-HEE [[email protected]]