May 26, 2011
US catfish processing declines
US farmed catfish processed during April 2011, amounted 23.6 million pounds round weight, a decrease of 36% from last year, according to a recent report by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
The average price paid to producers was US$1.14/pound for April 2011, up US$0.066 from last month and US$0.337 more than a year ago.
Net pounds of processed fish sold during April 2011 totalled 14 million pounds, down 24% from April 2010. Sales of fresh fish, at 5.16 million pounds, were down 28% from last April and represented 37% of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 8.82 million pounds, were down 22% from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 63% of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 20% of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 58%, and the remaining 22% were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products. The total end of the month inventory decreased 22% from last month and was down 58% from a year ago.
The total fresh and frozen average price for April 2011 was US$3.37, up US$0.89 from a year ago. The April 2011 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was US$3.24/pound, up US$0.86 from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were US$2.28/pound, up US$0.73 from April 2010. Prices for fresh fillets were up US$1.21 from a year ago at US$4.43/pound. Total frozen fish averaged US$3.44/pound, up US$0.90 from April 2010. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were up US$0.68 at US$2.92 and frozen fillets at US$4.07/pound were up US$1.14 from a year ago.
Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for March 2011 totalled 9.13 million pounds, up 20% from the amount imported in March 2010. Imports were from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totalled 211,000 pounds, which were from China and Indonesia.
Fresh catfish fillet exports totalled 42,300 pounds, with 40,800 pounds going to Canada and the rest going to Equatorial Guinea. Exports of frozen catfish fillets reported for March 2011 totalled 2,200 pounds, going to Australia and Japan.
