Farm-raised catfish processed during April 2010 totalled 37.1 million pounds round weight, down nine per cent from April 2009. The average price paid to producers was 80.5 cents per pound for April 2010, up 2.0 cents from last month and 4.2 cents above a year ago.
Net pounds of processed fish sold during April 2010 totalled 18.7 million pounds, down seven per cent from the comparable month in 2009. Sales of fresh fish, at 7.24 million pounds, were down one per cent from April 2009 and represented 39 per cent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 11.5 million pounds, were down 10 per cent from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 61 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 two per cent from last month but was up 13 per cent from a year ago.
The total fresh and frozen average price for April 2010 was $2.48, down 12 cents from a year ago. The average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $2.42 per pound, down nine cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $1.57 per pound, down 11 cents from April 2009. Prices for fresh fillets were up four cents from a year ago at $3.27 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $2.51 per pound, down 14 cents from April 2009. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were up five cents at $2.24 and frozen fillets at $2.96 per pound were down four cents from a year ago.
Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp. and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for March 2010 totalled 7.61 million pounds, down 15 per cent from the amount imported in March 2009. Imports were from Cambodia, China, Iceland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain and Viet Nam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totalled 1.18 million pounds, which were from China, Iceland, Indonesia and Mexico.
Fresh, boneless catfish fillet exports totalled 166,000 pounds, with 49,600 pounds going to Canada and the rest going to China and Germany. Exports of frozen, boneless catfish fillets reported for March 2010 totalled 16,500 pounds, going to the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and the Netherlands Antilles.
Import and export data are compiled by the US Census Bureau.
Further Reading
 |
- | You can view the full report by clicking here. |
