US catfish processing up 3% in December

Farm-raised catfish processed during December 2009 totalled 33.8 million pounds round weight, up 3% from December 2008.

The average price paid to producers was 76.3 cents per pound for December 2009, down 0.2 cent from last month and 5.8 cents below a year ago.

Net pounds of processed fish sold during December 2009 totalled 16.4 million pounds, up 3% from the same month in 2008. End of the month inventory increased slightly from November but was down 7% from a year ago.

Sales of fresh fish, at 6.09 million pounds, were down 1% from December 2008 and represented 37% of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 10.3 million pounds, were up 6% from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 63% of total fish sales.

Sales of whole fish represented 18% of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 61%, and the remaining 21% were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products.

The December 2009 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was US$2.38 per pound, down 10 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were US$1.57 per pound, down nine cents from December 2008. Prices for fresh fillets were down 13 cents from a year ago at US$3.18 per pound.

Total frozen fish averaged US$2.51 per pound, down nine cents from December 2008. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were up two cents at US$2.22 and frozen fillets at US$2.91 per pound were down 13 cents from a year ago.

Freshwater imports for catfish consumption for November 2009 totalled 12.8 million pounds, up 106% on-year.