Catfish Feed Deliveries fall sharply

September 2006 Catfish Feed Deliveries Down 3 Percent From Last Year

Foodsize fish feed delivered totaled 112,525 tons, down 6 percent for the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 8,483 tons, up 65 percent for the corresponding month a year ago.

Catfish feed delivered to catfish growers during the January-September period totaled 693,761 tons, up 4 percent from the corresponding period in 2005. For this period 94 percent of the total feed delivered to catfish growers was for foodsize catfish.

September feed delivered to Mississippi catfish growers for foodsize fish totaled 55,565 tons, down 6 percent from last year and accounted for 49 percent of the total foodsize catfish feed delivered to U.S. farmers.

The other major States with catfish feed deliveries for foodsize fish in September and their comparison to the previous year were: Alabama with 25,588 tons, down 20 percent; Arkansas with 20,138 tons, down slightly from last year; and Louisiana with 3,918 tons, up 26 percent.