Catfish growers in the 11 selected States had sales of 481 million dollars during 2006, down slightly from the previous year. The top four States (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana) accounted for 94 percent of the U.S. total sales. The 11 State sales total of all foodsize fish increased slightly from 2005 to 452 million dollars. Fingerling and fry sales totaled 21.2 million dollars, a decrease of 12 percent from 2005. Sales of stockers totaled 6.91 million dollars in 2006, a 15 percent increase from the previous year.
By point of first sale, direct sales to processors accounted for 95.7 percent of the total sales of foodsize fish compared with 94.9 percent from the previous year. Direct sales to other producers accounted for 85.0 percent of the stocker sales compared with 87.1 percent from 2005.
Water Acres Down 5 Percent from January 1, 2006
The water surface acres being used for catfish production as of January 1, 2007 totaled 163 thousand acres, down 5 percent from the 170 thousand acres used a year earlier. Of the total acres, 5.17 thousand are to be renovated during the period of January 1 to June 30, 2007. An additional 870 acres are under construction or expected to be constructed and in use by July 1, 2007.
During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2006, the area taken out of production totaled 4.21 thousand acres. As of January 1, 2007, foodfish were produced on 133 thousand acres, fingerling producing acres totaled 23.1 thousand, and 3.88 thousand acres were being used for broodfish production.
Inventory Numbers
Catfish producers had 897 thousand broodfish on hand January 1, 2007, down 19 percent from January 1, 2006. Large foodsize fish on hand totaled 8.35 million on January 1, 2007, a decrease of 23 percent from a year ago. The number of medium foodsize fish decreased 5 percent to 97.8 million, while small foodsize fish numbers decreased 4 percent to 205 million. Large stockers on hand January 1, 2007, at 279 million fish, were up 4 percent from the previous year. Small stocker numbers decreased 17 percent to 293 million. There were 959 million fingerlings on hand January 1, 2007, down 8 percent from January 1, 2006.
Special Note
Three tables, which were included in previous year’s Catfish Production reports, were removed from this year’s publication. The tables removed were round weight of catfish processed, prices paid to catfish producers by processors, and imports of farm raised catfish. In the future, these tables will be included in the Catfish Processing report released in February each year.
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