22 May 2012
USDA Catfish Processing May 2012
Farm-raised catfish processed during April 2012 totaled 22.5 million pounds round weight, down 5 percent from
April 2011. The average price paid to producers was $1.17 per pound for April 2012, down 3.4 cents from last month but
2.6 cents above a year ago.
Net pounds of processed fish sold during April 2012 totaled 12.0 million pounds, down 14 percent from the comparable
month in 2011. Sales of fresh fish, at 4.63 million pounds, were down 10 percent from April 2011 and represented
39 percent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 7.37 million pounds, were down 16 percent from a year ago and accounted
for the remaining 61 percent of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 21 percent of the total fish sold, fillets
accounted for 59 percent, and the remaining 20 percent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products. The total
end of the month inventory increased 3 percent from last month and was up 135 percent from a year ago.
The total fresh and frozen average price for April 2012 was $3.41, up 4 cents from a year ago. The April 2012 average
price received by processors for total fresh fish was $3.36 per pound, up 12 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole
fish were $2.35 per pound, up 7 cents from April 2011. Prices for fresh fillets were up 14 cents from a year ago at
$4.57 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $3.44 per pound, unchanged from April 2011. Prices for frozen whole dressed
fish were up 6 cents at $2.98 and frozen fillets at $4.12 per pound were up 5 cents from a year ago.
Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for March 2012
totaled 15.3 million pounds, up 67 percent from the amount imported in March 2011. Imports were from Brazil, Canada,
China, Mexico, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 528 thousand pounds, which were from China.
Fresh catfish fillet exports totaled 130 thousand pounds, with 41.1 thousand pounds going to Canada and the rest going to
the Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, China, and Vietnam. Exports of frozen catfish fillets reported for March 2012 totaled
68.0 thousand pounds, going to the Islands of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, China, and the Republic of Equatorial
Guinea.
DOWNLOAD REPORT:- Download this report here
© 2000 - 2012. 5m Publishing, Benchmark House, 8 Smithy Wood Drive, Sheffield, S35 1QN, England.