USDA Catfish Production - July 2012 - Market Reports

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23 July 2012

USDA Catfish Production - July 2012

Water Surface Acres Down 4 Percent from Last Year

The water surface area to be used for catfish production in the three major producing States (Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi) during July 1 through December 31, 2012, totaled 78.3 thousand acres, down 4 percent from a year ago.

Acres used for foodsize fish totaled 62.4 thousand acres, down 5 percent from the same time period in 2011. Acres used for fingerling production increased 5 percent to 12.0 thousand acres, and acres for broodfish increased 5 percent to 1.67 thousand acres. Of the total acres in production, 2.41 thousand were scheduled to be renovated from July 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012, while acres taken out of production during the January 1, 2012, through June 30, 2012, period totaled 2.26 thousand acres. The number of operations on July 1, 2012, in the three major States totaled 348, down 11 percent from last year’s total of 389 operations.

Foodsize Inventory Numbers Up 1 Percent from a Year Ago

Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 161 million foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2012, up 1 percent from the July 1, 2011, total of 159 million foodsize fish. The breakouts of foodsize fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2012, with their respective percent change from the previous year were: large foodsize, 4.35 million fish, up 69 percent; medium foodsize, 37.5 million fish, up 11 percent; and small foodsize, 119 million fish, down 3 percent. The three major States also had 435 thousand broodfish on hand on July 1, 2012, up 1 percent from last year's 430 thousand broodfish.

Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 384 million stockers on hand on July 1, 2012, up 10 percent from the July 1, 2011, total of 349 million stockers. The breakouts of stocker fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2012, with their respective change from the previous year were: large stockers, 215 million fish, up 22 percent; and small stockers, 169 million, down 2 percent from last year. Producers had 686 million fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2012.

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