US '09 catfish sales value declines 9%

Catfish growers in the US had sales of US$373 million during 2009, down 9% from US$410 million the previous year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The top four states: Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas, accounted for 93% of the US total sales. The US sales total of all foodsize fish decreased by 10% from 2008 to US$352 million in 2009.

Fingerling and fry sales totaled US$13 million, an increase of 7% from 2008. Sales of stockers totaled US$7 million in 2009, compared to US$8 million in 2008.

By point of first sale, direct sales to processors accounted for 94% of total foodsize fish sales compared with 95% from the previous year. Direct sales to other producers accounted for 87% of stocker sales compared with 89% in 2008.

The water surface acres being used for catfish production as of January 1, 2010 totalled 115,000 acres, down 22% from the 147,000 acres used a year earlier. Of the total acres, 3,000 acres is to be renovated during the period of January 1 to June 30, 2010. An additional 140 acres are under construction or expected to be constructed and in use by July 1, 2010.

During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2009, the area taken out of production totalled 10,000 acres. As of January 1, 2010, foodsize fish were produced on 97,000 acres, fingerling-producing acres totalled 14,000, and 2,000 acres were being used for broodfish production.

Catfish producers had 544,000 broodfish on hand on January 1, 2010, down 23% from January 1, 2009. Large foodsize fish on hand totalled 9 million on January 1, 2010, an 8% decrease from a year ago.

The number of medium foodsize fish decreased 13% to 92 million, while small foodsize fish numbers decreased 13% to 169 million. Large stockers on hand January 1, 2010, at 152 million fish, were down 41% from the previous year. Small stocker numbers decreased 35% to 213 million.

There were 430 million fingerlings on hand January 1, 2010, down 41% from January 1, 2009.