Net pounds of processed fish sold during April 2011 totaled 14.0 million pounds, down 24 per cent from April 2010. Sales of fresh fish, at 5.16 million pounds, were down 28 per cent from last April and represented 37 per cent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 8.82 million pounds, were down 22 per cent from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 63 per cent of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 20 per cent of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 58 per cent, and the remaining 22 per cent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products. The total end of the month inventory decreased 22 per cent from last month and was down 58 per cent from a year ago.
The total fresh and frozen average price for April 2011 was $3.37, up 89 cents from a year ago. The April 2011 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $3.24 per pound, up 86 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $2.28 per pound, up 73 cents from April 2010. Prices for fresh fillets were up $1.21 from a year ago at $4.43 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $3.44 per pound, up 90 cents from April 2010. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were up 68 cents at $2.92 and frozen fillets at $4.07 per pound were up $1.14 from a year ago.
Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for March 2011 totaled 9.13 million pounds, up 20 per cent from the amount imported in March 2010. Imports were from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 211 thousand pounds, which were from China and Indonesia.
Fresh catfish fillet exports totaled 42.3 thousand pounds, with 40.8 thousand pounds going to Canada and the rest going to Equatorial Guinea. Exports of frozen catfish fillets reported for March 2011 totaled 2.2 thousand pounds, going to Australia and Japan.
Import and export data are compiled by the United States Census Bureau.
