U.S. Catfish Processing in May 2012 up 1 Percent from Last Year

Net pounds of processed fish sold during May 2012 totaled 13.4 million pounds, up 6 percent from the comparable month in 2011. Sales of fresh fish, at 4.84 million pounds, were up 2 percent from May 2011 and represented 36 percent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 8.54 million pounds, were up 9 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 60 percent, and the remaining 20 percent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products.

The total end of the month inventory decreased 5 percent from last month but was up 128 percent from a year ago. 

The total fresh and frozen average price for May 2012 was $3.22, down 29 cents from a year ago. The May 2012 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $3.19 per pound, down 19 cents from last year.

Prices for fresh whole fish were $2.25 per pound, down 15 cents from May 2011. Prices for fresh fillets were down 20 cents from a year ago at $4.35 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $3.24 per pound, down 34 cents from May 2011. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were down 2 cents at $2.91 and frozen fillets at $3.79 per pound were down 43 cents from a year ago.

Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for April 2012 totaled 19.8 million pounds, up 48 percent from the amount imported in April 2011. Imports were from Brazil, China, Guyana, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 534 thousand pounds, which were from China.

Fresh catfish fillet exports totaled 235 thousand pounds, with 53.7 thousand pounds going to Canada and the rest going to China, Jamaica, the Islands of Turks and Caicos, and Vietnam. Exports of frozen catfish fillets reported for April 2012 totaled 29.7 thousand pounds, going to the Bahamas, Canada, and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.