Farm-raised catfish processed during March 2009 totaled 44.8 million pounds round weight, down 7 per cent from March 2008. The average price paid to producers was 77.4 cents per pound for March 2009, up 0.4 cent from last month and 3.1 cents above a year ago.
Net pounds of processed fish sold during March 2009 totaled 22.5 million pounds, down 6 per cent from the comparable month in 2008. The total end of the month inventory increased 3 per cent from last month and was up 19 per cent from a year ago. Sales of fresh fish, at 8.10 million pounds, were down 8 per cent from March 2008 and represented 36 per cent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 14.4 million pounds, were down 5 per cent from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 64 per cent of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 18 per cent of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 60 per cent, and the remaining 22 per cent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products.
The March 2009 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $2.47 per pound, up 14 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $1.66 per pound, up 10 cents from March 2008. Prices for fresh fillets were up 28 cents from a year ago at $3.24 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $2.62 per pound, up 24 cents from March 2008. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were up 6 cents at $2.18 and frozen fillets at $3.02 per pound were up 25 cents from a year ago.
Freshwater imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for February 2009 totaled 6.53 million pounds, down 32 per cent from the amount imported in February 2008. Imports were from Cambodia, China, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 1.23 million pounds, which were from China and Mexico.
Fresh boneless catfish fillet exports totaled 65.1 thousand pounds, with 50.9 thousand pounds going to Canada and the rest going to the Bahams, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico. No exports of frozen, boneless catfish fillets were reported for February 2009.
Import and export data are compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.
U. S. Catfish Processed
U. S. Average Grower Price
Further Reading
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