Catfish growers in the US had sales of 373 million dollars during 2009, down 9 per cent from 410 million dollars the previous year. The top four States (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas) accounted for 93 per cent of the US total sales. The US sales total of all foodsize fish decreased by 10 per cent from 2008 to 352 million dollars in 2009. Fingerling and fry sales totaled 13 million dollars, an increase of 7 per cent from 2008. Sales of stockers totaled 7 million dollars in 2009, compared to 8 million dollars in 2008.
By point of first sale, direct sales to processors accounted for 94 per cent of total foodsize fish sales compared with 95 per cent from the previous year. Direct sales to other producers accounted for 87 per cent of stocker sales compared with 89 per cent in 2008.
Water surface acres down 22 per cent from January 1, 2009
The water surface acres being used for catfish production as of January 1, 2010 totaled 115 thousand acres, down 22 per cent from the 147 thousand acres used a year earlier. Of the total acres, 3 thousand are to be renovated during the period of January 1 to June 30, 2010. An additional 140 acres are under construction or expected to be constructed and in use by July 1, 2010. During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2009, the area taken out of production totaled 10 thousand acres. As of January 1, 2010, foodsize fish were produced on 97 thousand acres, fingerling-producing acres totaled 14 thousand, and 2 thousand acres were being used for broodfish production.
Inventory numbers
Catfish producers had 544 thousand broodfish on hand January 1, 2010, down 23 per cent from January 1, 2009. Large foodsize fish on hand totaled 9 million on January 1, 2010, an 8 per cent decrease from a year ago. The number of medium foodsize fish decreased 13 per cent to 92 million, while small foodsize fish numbers decreased 13 per cent to 169 million. Large stockers on hand January 1, 2010, at 152 million fish, were down 41 per cent from the previous year. Small stocker numbers decreased 35 per cent to 213 million. There were 430 million fingerlings on hand January 1, 2010, down 41 per cent from January 1, 2009.
Further Reading
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