Persistently High Domestic Meat Prices and Intensifying International Competition for Supplies
First written in FY2017-Q1. 20 of 35 entries say "Worsened", first in FY2017-Q2. Latest entry: FY2026.
Prima Meat Packers moved to the "Worse" side of this theme in 2016, 6 years before the typical company in this theme (2022).
The whole theme swung hardest in 2025: 23 of 32 companies on the "Worse" side.
11 other companies' latest entry also says "Worsened".
- FY2026WorsenedAnnual report
「The meat business environment has remained challenging due to continued high overseas livestock prices and yen depreciation. Disease issues occurring domestically and overseas, as well as persistently high domestic pork prices caused by extreme heat, have also significantly affected sales trends.」
In addition to high overseas livestock prices, yen depreciation and domestic and overseas disease issues, it specifies persistently high domestic pork prices caused by extreme heat as a factor worsening the procurement and sales environment. - FY2026-H1WorsenedAnnual report
「The industry continues to face a challenging business environment due to numerous factors that can significantly affect conditions in the livestock market, including high local prices, rising domestic prices and disease issues.」
In addition to high overseas local prices, rising domestic prices and disease issues, it cites highly pathogenic avian influenza and a decline in hog shipments caused by extreme heat as continuing factors affecting the livestock market. - FY2025WorsenedAnnual report
「The impact of high local livestock prices and yen depreciation has become particularly pronounced in the form of higher procurement costs. Disease issues have also emerged both domestically and overseas, making the business environment challenging.」
In addition to high local livestock prices and higher procurement costs caused by yen depreciation, it specifies domestic and overseas disease issues and persistently high domestic pork prices caused by extreme heat, describing the challenging procurement environment in more detail. - FY2025-H1RestatedAnnual report
「The industry continues to face a challenging business environment due to numerous factors that can significantly affect conditions in the livestock market, including high local livestock prices, high feed costs and disease issues.」
It continues to cite local livestock prices, feed costs and disease issues as factors causing price and supply fluctuations in the livestock market, along with the challenging business environment. - FY2024-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In addition to higher manufacturing costs, there are many factors that could cause significant fluctuations in the livestock market, including high local livestock prices, continued yen depreciation and disease issues, and the challenging business environment continues.」
It continues to cite price and supply fluctuation factors, including livestock prices, yen depreciation and disease issues, along with the challenging procurement environment. - FY2024-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In addition to the manufacturing cost increases described above, there are many factors that could cause significant fluctuations in the livestock market, including high local prices, continued yen depreciation and disease issues, and the challenging business environment continues.」
It continues to cite livestock prices, yen depreciation and disease issues as factors causing price and supply fluctuations in the livestock market, along with the challenging procurement environment. - FY2024-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「In addition to the manufacturing cost increases described above, there are many factors that could cause significant fluctuations in the livestock market, including high local raw material prices, high feed costs, continued yen depreciation and disease issues, and the challenging business environment continues.」
It continues to cite raw material prices, feed costs, yen depreciation and disease issues as factors causing price and supply fluctuations in the livestock market, along with the challenging environment. - FY2023WorsenedAnnual report
「In addition to the manufacturing cost increases described above, there are many factors that could significantly affect the livestock market, including high local overseas prices, continued yen depreciation and domestic avian influenza, which spread mainly among laying hens. These factors will need to be closely monitored.」
In addition to the existing factors of livestock prices, higher feed costs and yen depreciation, it identifies domestic avian influenza as a new factor affecting the livestock market. - FY2023-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The industry has continued to face challenging conditions. Livestock prices and feed costs rose further, and yen depreciation worsened overseas procurement terms, causing manufacturing costs to rise more than expected, while selling prices could not be increased as planned.」
It continues to describe a challenging procurement environment, with high livestock prices and feed costs, worsening overseas procurement terms due to yen depreciation, and continued difficulty passing costs through to customers. - FY2023-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「The industry has continued to face challenging conditions. Livestock prices and feed costs rose further, and the yen’s depreciation worsened overseas procurement terms, causing manufacturing costs to rise more than expected, while selling prices could not be increased as planned.」
Higher livestock prices, feed costs and yen depreciation have continued to worsen procurement terms, while difficulty passing costs through to customers has persisted, maintaining the challenging meat procurement environment. - FY2023-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「The procurement environment for the meat business became extremely challenging due to high overseas livestock prices, surging transportation costs and persistently high grain prices. Retail prices at customers’ stores did not rise enough to offset increases in raw material prices, while spending on fresh meat declined year on year, particularly for beef. In addition to higher procurement costs for imported meat, domestic pork prices rose sharply, and the Company was unable to fully pass these costs through to customers, worsening profitability in meat sales and making it difficult to maintain sales volumes and secure profits.」
Overseas livestock prices, transportation costs, grain prices, imported meat procurement costs and domestic pork prices all rose, resulting in difficulty passing costs through to customers and worsening profitability in meat sales. - FY2022WorsenedAnnual report
「The meat business environment became extremely challenging due to high overseas prices, prolonged delays in sea-container transportation, surging transportation costs and high grain prices. Procurement costs for imported meat surged, and the Company was unable to fully pass these costs through to customers. Supply shortages caused by transportation delays following disaster damage further compounded the problem, worsening profitability in the purchasing and sales business.」
In addition to overseas prices, container shortages, transportation costs and high grain prices, it cites transportation delays and supply shortages caused by disasters, as well as difficulty passing costs through to customers, specifying meat procurement risks and worsening profitability. - FY2022-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「The meat business environment became extremely challenging due to high overseas prices, surging transportation costs caused by prolonged container shortages and high grain prices. Procurement costs for imported pork and beef surged, and the Company was unable to fully pass these costs through to customers. Supply shortages caused by transportation delays following flooding in Canada further compounded the problem, worsening profitability in the purchasing and sales business.」
It newly specifies overseas meat prices, container shortages, transportation costs, grain prices, and transportation delays and supply shortages caused by flooding in Canada, and describes worsening profitability due to higher procurement costs and difficulty passing costs through to customers. - FY2022-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「The market environment is uncertain in terms of both prices and supply due to higher imported meat prices, production cuts caused by the continuing global impact of COVID-19, supply concerns caused by logistics delays, surging grain prices affecting feed costs, and higher manufacturing costs caused by elevated crude oil prices.」
It specifies procurement risks on both the price and supply sides, citing imported meat prices, production cuts caused by infectious disease, logistics delays, grain and feed prices, and high crude oil prices. - FY2022-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「The market environment is uncertain in terms of both prices and supply due to surging overseas livestock prices, unresolved disease issues and supply concerns caused by logistics delays in countries supplying imported processed-food raw materials, as well as surging grain prices affecting feed costs. Meanwhile, the domestic pork market experienced sharp price fluctuations over short periods because the balance between supply and demand was disrupted.」
It describes price and supply concerns caused by overseas livestock prices, disease, logistics delays and surging grain prices, in addition to substantial short-term fluctuations in domestic pork prices. The factors contributing to deterioration in the market environment have broadened. - FY2021WorsenedAnnual report
「The industry may be significantly affected by the pork market because African swine fever and classical swine fever remain unresolved, Chinese purchasing trends are uncertain, and global feed prices are expected to rise. These developments will need to be closely monitored.」
In addition to African swine fever, classical swine fever and Chinese purchasing trends, it identifies globally higher feed prices as new price and supply factors, broadening the potential impact on the pork market. - FY2021-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「Concerns over the spread of African swine fever in Europe are also a source of supply-side uncertainty for the outlook.」
It continues to cite supply risks from disease-related plant closures, lower productivity and shipment delays at European and U.S. packers, as well as concerns over the spread of African swine fever in Europe. - FY2021-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「The spread of COVID-19 at European and U.S. packers supplying imported raw materials intermittently forced some companies to close their plants, while others experienced lower productivity because they maintained social distancing, and shipment delays remained difficult to recover from. Concerns over the spread of African swine fever in Europe are also a source of supply-side uncertainty for the outlook.」
In addition to North America, European packers continued to experience disease-related plant closures, lower productivity and shipment delays, while concerns over the spread of African swine fever in Europe were added as a supply risk. - FY2021-Q1MaterialisedAnnual report
「The spread of COVID-19 at North American packers supplying imported raw materials forced some companies to close their plants, while others experienced lower productivity because they maintained social distancing. As a result, prices for various livestock products continued to surge.」
It states that plant closures and lower productivity at North American packers due to infectious disease, as well as surging livestock product prices, actually occurred and affected the meat procurement environment. - FY2020ReframedAnnual report
「The Group’s performance is affected by surging prices for livestock products used in meat for sale, ham and sausage, processed foods and other products, as well as by market conditions for products and crude oil. • Fluctuations in livestock product prices • Livestock diseases • Emergency import restrictions on imported raw meat (safeguards) • Farm feed prices • Packaging materials • Fuel costs for factory operations • Logistics costs」
It reorganizes the risks from meat diseases and price fluctuations as market-related risks affecting raw material prices, including crude oil, feed, packaging materials, fuel and logistics costs. It also lists multiple sourcing, alternative raw materials, futures contracts, appropriate inventory levels and passing costs through to selling prices as countermeasures. - FY2020-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「In the industry, domestic and overseas livestock disease issues continued. Classical swine fever also emerged in the Kanto region of Japan, and vaccination began, but the problem has not been resolved. Overseas, the spread of African swine fever in China and the increasing number of outbreaks in South Korea have caused major disruption to global meat supply and demand.」
It newly specifies the spread of classical swine fever into the Kanto region of Japan and the disruption to global meat supply and demand caused by the spread of African swine fever in China and increasing outbreaks in South Korea. - FY2020-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「In the domestic pork business, sharp fluctuations in domestic pork prices made it difficult to generate profits from purchasing and sales. The market remained in a wait-and-see position regarding changes in Chinese import trends resulting from African swine fever, and although production in North America was strong, the procurement environment remained uncertain. African swine fever was also expected to affect beef and chicken prices, and the situation continued to require close monitoring. Domestic chicken production and prices were stable, while strong Chinese demand for chicken from Brazil and Thailand, driven by African swine fever, is expected to push prices higher in the future despite their current stability.」
In addition to the difficulty of securing profits due to sharp fluctuations in domestic pork prices, it indicates the spillover effects of African swine fever on import trends and beef and chicken prices, as well as the outlook for higher prices of chicken from Brazil and Thailand. - FY2020-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「Although production of imported pork was strong, the market remained in a wait-and-see position regarding the impact of African swine fever in China and Chinese import trends. Depending on those trends, beef and chicken may also be affected, and the situation continues to require close monitoring. Domestic chicken production and prices were stable, while demand for Brazilian and Thai chicken was strong due to the impact of African swine fever, resulting in an upward trend in prices.」
It indicates that Chinese import trends related to African swine fever could affect beef and chicken as well, and newly specifies the upward trend in prices for chicken from Brazil and Thailand. - FY2019WorsenedAnnual report
「Livestock disease issues are of particular concern. As African swine fever spreads in China, Chinese purchasing trends could have a significant impact on the global pork market, and will need to be closely monitored.」
In addition to the existing risks from PED, classical swine fever and avian influenza, it newly specifies the spread of African swine fever in China and the potential impact of Chinese purchasing trends on the global pork market. - FY2019-Q3ReframedAnnual report
「In the domestic pork business, shipments nationwide exceeded the previous year, but competition from imports and the warm winter weakened demand for hot-pot dishes, resulting in a challenging situation in which domestic pork prices fell significantly below the previous year. However, imported raw materials for processed foods and other products were procured relatively stably because local pork production progressed smoothly. Domestic chicken prices tended to rise, particularly in the second half of the year, due to poor weight gain in some production areas, but overall remained below the previous year. Imported chicken, however, faced growing uncertainty regarding Brazilian forward supplies, with supply becoming increasingly tight. Beef prices remained high, and competition from imports continued to make it difficult to generate profits.」
It specifies the meat procurement environment by product, describing lower domestic pork prices, uncertainty over imported chicken supplies and persistently high beef prices, while explaining that imported raw materials for processed foods were procured relatively stably. - FY2019-Q2ReframedAnnual report
「For chicken, domestic chicken prices were stable as production increased, while imported chicken volumes declined and prices rose due to strikes in Brazil. Prices have since returned to a more settled level.」
It describes stable domestic chicken prices, higher imported chicken prices caused by strikes in Brazil and the subsequent easing of those prices. The meat procurement environment is presented as differing by product. - FY2019-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「In the domestic pork business, prices for domestic pork fluctuated sharply, and the shift to imported pork by buyers avoiding high prices resulted in a rapidly changing situation in which imported pork overtook domestic pork in market share. However, imported raw materials for processed foods and other products were procured relatively stably because local pork production progressed smoothly. For chicken, domestic chicken prices were stable as production increased, whereas imports from Brazil declined and prices rose due to strikes in Brazil, and concerns about the impact on Thai and domestic chicken continued.」
Regarding meat procurement risks, it newly specifies sharp fluctuations in domestic pork prices, the shift to imported pork, and higher imported chicken prices caused by strikes in Brazil, while explaining that imported raw materials for processed foods were procured relatively stably. - FY2018ReframedAnnual report
「However, the yen weakened compared with the previous fiscal year, and market prices rose amid strong domestic and overseas demand, resulting in a challenging situation in which raw material costs were higher than in the previous fiscal year. Meanwhile, although domestic meat prices had stabilized since the beginning of the year, beef, pork and chicken prices remained high and could not be fully reflected in selling costs. Pork prices in particular remained high because the effects of disease (PED) persisted and shipments did not recover significantly due to poor growth caused by the summer heat.」
It describes both the continued high cost of imported raw materials and persistently high domestic meat prices, while noting that domestic prices stabilized after the beginning of the year. - FY2018-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「In the industry, there was uncertainty regarding the outlook, including the possible implementation of safeguards on imported frozen beef. However, imported raw materials for processed foods and other products were procured in relatively stable volumes because local pork production progressed smoothly. Nevertheless, the yen weakened compared with the previous fiscal year, and market prices rose amid strong domestic and overseas demand, resulting in a challenging situation in which raw material costs were higher than in the previous fiscal year. Meanwhile, domestic beef, pork and chicken prices remained high and could not be fully reflected in selling costs. Pork prices in particular remained high because the effects of disease (PED) persisted and shipments did not recover significantly due to poor growth caused by the summer heat.」
It identifies safeguards on imported frozen beef, higher imported raw material costs caused by yen depreciation and rising market prices, and high beef, pork and chicken prices, specifying the challenging conditions surrounding meat procurement and raw material costs. - FY2018-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, domestic beef, pork and chicken prices remained high and could not be fully reflected in selling costs, creating a challenging situation. Pork prices in particular remained high because shipments declined as a result of poor growth caused by the summer heat, and the challenging conditions continued.」
In addition to persistently high beef, pork and chicken prices, the Company specifies that poor growth caused by the heat and a decline in pork shipments contributed to continued high pork prices, while the difficulty of reflecting these costs in selling prices persisted. - FY2018-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, domestic beef, pork and chicken prices remained high and could not be fully reflected in selling costs, creating a challenging situation.」
In addition to beef and pork, chicken is also cited as subject to persistently high prices, and the difficulty of passing these costs through to selling prices is described. - FY2017Specific risk factorsAnnual report
「The Company has been affected by market fluctuations, including concerns that livestock diseases such as PED (porcine epidemic diarrhea) and avian influenza, as well as the introduction of safeguards, could cause imported raw meat prices to surge, and that tightening supply and demand beyond meat consumption could drive up meat prices. Packaging materials and heavy fuel oil have also been affected by fluctuations in crude oil prices and other factors.」
It lists livestock diseases, safeguards, tight supply and demand, packaging materials and heavy fuel oil as specific factors in the risks surrounding meat prices and the procurement environment. - FY2017-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The meat procurement environment became extremely challenging due to intensified international procurement competition.」
As in the previous filing, it describes an extremely challenging procurement environment resulting from international procurement competition. - FY2017-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「The meat procurement environment became extremely challenging due to intensified international procurement competition.」
International procurement competition continued, and the procurement environment was described as “extremely challenging,” representing a deterioration from the challenging procurement environment described in the previous filing. - FY2017-Q1First statedAnnual report
「Domestic meat prices, particularly for beef and pork, have remained high, resulting in higher purchasing costs.」
It explains that persistently high prices for meat raw materials and procurement competition are factors behind higher costs.