Catfish Processing Down 9 Percent from Last Year

Net pounds of processed fish sold during March 2012 totaled 14.8 million pounds, down 18 percent from the comparable month in 2011. Sales of fresh fish, at 5.26 million pounds, were down 13 percent from March 2011 and represented 36 percent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 9.49 million pounds, were down 21 percent from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 64 percent of total fish sales.

Sales of whole fish represented 20 percent of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 57 percent, and the remaining 23 percent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products. The total end of the month inventory decreased 4 percent from last month but was up 77 percent from a year ago. 

The total fresh and frozen average price for March 2012 was $3.45, up 24 cents from a year ago. The March 2012 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $3.41 per pound, up 29 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $2.42 per pound, up 25 cents from March 2011. Prices for fresh fillets were up 50 cents from a year ago at $4.68 per pound.

Total frozen fish averaged $3.47 per pound, up 21 cents from March 2011. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were up 38 cents at $3.06 and frozen fillets at $4.22 per pound were up 47 cents from a year ago.

Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for February 2012 totaled 15.1 million pounds, up 9 percent from the amount imported in February 2011. Imports were from Canada, China, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 1.32 million pounds, which were from China.

Fresh catfish fillet exports totaled 120 thousand pounds, with 37.1 thousand pounds going to Canada and the rest going to the Bahamas, Mexico, and Vietnam. Exports of frozen catfish fillets reported for February 2012 totaled 11.1 thousand pounds, going to the Bahamas, Canada, and the Islands of Turks and Caicos.