Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm is getting ready for its busiest week of the year and the owners are seeing high demand.
“We are finding that we are busier than ever with turkeys," said Rick Hermonot, co-owner of the Moosup-based farm.
The Hermonot family has been raising turkeys for 25 years. This year, between this week and Christmas, they expect to sell 4,000 turkeys.
"This year we raised a few more birds so we haven't sold out yet, but we are a little ahead of last year on orders," Hermonot said.
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Inflation is having an impact, hitting farm products hard. Everything from feed to fertilizer and fuel is costing the business more. The family debated over how much they would raise turkey prices this year, settling at a 9% increase. Even with the increase in price, inflation is causing the farm's costs to outweigh revenue.
"We are going to take a hit this year," Hermonot said.
Nationwide, turkey costs about 21% more than last year.
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According to a survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average price of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people will be about $64, up about 20% from last year's average.
Experts say that an outbreak of avian flu is playing a part, forcing a smaller stock of turkeys. But they attribute the overall price jump to inflation.
"The price of every single item, and especially the grocery items, have gone up significantly," said Mohammad Elahee, a business professor at Quinnipiac University.
Despite the high prices, a survey found that people still plan to buy a turkey this year.
