Catfish Processing Down 9 Percent
Farm-raised catfish processed during October 2004 totaled 52.4 million pounds round weight, down
9 percent from October 2003. The average price paid to producers was 69.5 cents per pound for October
2004, up 1.2 cents from last month and 12.8 cents above a year ago.
Net pounds of processed fish sold during October 2004 totaled 25.9 million pounds, down 7 percent
from the comparable month in 2003. Total end of the month inventory increased 1 percent from last
month and was up 16 percent from a year ago.
Sales of fresh fish, at 9.33 million pounds, were down
13 percent from October 2003 and represented 36 percent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at
16.5 million pounds, were down 4 percent from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 64 percent
of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 16 percent of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 61 percent, and the remaining 23 percent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products.
The October 2004 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $2.23 per pound, an
increase of 20 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $1.59 per pound, up 23 cents from
last year. Prices for fresh fillets were up 27 cents at $2.76 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $2.21
per pound, up 15 cents from October 2003. Prices for frozen whole fish were up 4 cents at $1.88, while
frozen fillets at $2.60 per pound were up 21 cents from a year ago.
Freshwater imports of frozen, boneless, Ictalurus, Pangasius and Siluriformes catfish fillets for
September 2004 totaled 1.80 million pounds, substantially above last year. Ninety-one percent of all
imports were from Vietnam with the remainder coming from Brazil, Cambodia and China. The Ictalurus
(channel catfish) imports totaled 171 thousand pounds.
Exports of frozen, boneless catfish fillets reported for September 2004 totaled 28.3 thousand pounds,
going to the Bahamas, Canada and Germany. Fresh fillet exports totaled 46.3 thousand pounds, all
going to Canada.
Import and export data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Census.
United States 2002 - 2004
To view the full report, including tables, please click here (PDF Format)
Source: USDA NASS - Catfish Processing Report - 22nd November 2004