US catfish processing down 4% in May

US farm-raised catfish processed during May 2010 totalled 38.2 million pounds round weight, down 4% from May 2009, according to National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), USDA.

The average price paid to producers was 79.6 cents per pound for May 2010, down 0.8 cent from last month but 3.4 cents above a year ago.

Net pounds of processed fish sold during May 2010 totalled 19.1 million pounds, up 2% from the comparable month in 2009. Sales of fresh fish, at 7.28 million pounds, were up 2% from May 2009 and represented 38% of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 11.9 million pounds, were up 2% from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 62% of total fish sales.

The total fresh and frozen average price for May 2010 was $2.48, down 7 cents from a year ago. The average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $2.44 per pound, down 7 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $1.55 per pound, down 15 cents from May 2009.

Freshwater imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for April 2010 totalled 8.80 million pounds, up 3% from the amount imported in April 2009. Imports were from Canada, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totalled 1.22 million pounds, which were from Canada, China, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Fresh, boneless catfish fillet exports totalled 39,500 pounds, with all going to Canada. Exports of frozen, boneless catfish fillets reported for April 2010 totalled 28,800 pounds, going to the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, and the Netherlands Antilles.