Catfish Processing ISSN: 1948-2701 Released September 20, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Catfish Processing Down 19 Percent from Last Year Farm-raised catfish processed during August 2012 totaled 24.9 million pounds round weight, down 19 percent from August 2011. The average price paid to producers was 79.8 cents per pound for August 2012, down 4.5 cents from last month and 47.9 cents below a year ago. Net pounds of processed fish sold during August 2012 totaled 14.4 million pounds, up 1 percent from the comparable month in 2011. Sales of fresh fish, at 5.03 million pounds, were up 15 percent from August 2011 and represented 35 percent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 9.42 million pounds, were down 5 percent from a year ago and accounted for the remaining 65 percent of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 19 percent of the total fish sold, fillets accounted for 62 percent, and the remaining 19 percent were mostly steaks, nuggets, and value added products. The total end of the month inventory decreased 8 percent from last month but was up 51 percent from a year ago. The total fresh and frozen average price for August 2012 was $2.79, down 86 cents from a year ago. The August 2012 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $2.83 per pound, down 83 cents from last year. Prices for fresh whole fish were $1.95 per pound, down 66 cents from August 2011. Prices for fresh fillets were down $1.01 from a year ago at $3.76 per pound. Total frozen fish averaged $2.77 per pound, down 88 cents from August 2011. Prices for frozen whole dressed fish were down 30 cents at $2.85 and frozen fillets at $3.11 per pound were down $1.36 from a year ago. Imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for July 2012 totaled 22.6 million pounds, up 25 percent from the amount imported in July 2011. Imports were from Canada, China, French Polynesia, the Phillipines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 73.0 thousand pounds, which were from Canada and China. Fresh catfish fillet exports totaled 114.1 thousand pounds, with 68.1 thousand pounds going to Canada and the rest going to Aruba, the Bahamas, Colombia, Kuwait, and Vietnam. Exports of frozen catfish fillets reported for July 2012 totaled 5.3 thousand pounds, going to the Bahamas and South Korea. Import and export data are compiled by the United States Census Bureau. Farm-Raised Catfish Processed and Prices Paid to Producers by Month - United States: 2011-2012 [Blank cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Round weight processed :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Monthly : Cumulative : Price per pound 1/ :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : :2012 as: : :2012 as: : :Change : : :percent: : :percent: : : from Month : 2011 : 2012 :of 2011: 2011 : 2012 :of 2011: 2011 : 2012 : 2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 pounds percent 1,000 pounds percent ------ dollars ------ : January ...:35,076 25,843 74 35,076 25,843 74 0.931 1.248 0.317 February ..:27,782 26,950 97 62,858 52,793 84 1.003 1.229 0.226 March .....:30,372 28,098 93 93,230 80,891 87 1.075 1.201 0.126 April .....:23,605 22,463 95 116,835 103,354 88 1.141 1.167 0.026 May .......:24,749 25,009 101 141,584 128,363 91 1.169 1.038 -0.131 June ......:24,337 23,938 98 165,921 152,301 92 1.231 0.934 -0.297 July ......:26,595 25,056 94 192,516 177,357 92 1.252 0.843 -0.409 August ....:30,680 24,886 81 223,196 202,243 91 1.277 0.798 -0.479 September .:30,271 253,467 1.275 October ...:32,264 285,731 1.262 November ..:25,814 311,545 1.257 December ..:22,598 334,143 1.251 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Quantity processed by major processors and the prices paid for fish delivered to the processing plant's door. Price includes charges for any services provided by the processing plant, such as seining and hauling. Price also includes any discounts or premiums for size or quality, but does not include adjustments based on year-end settlements. Processed Farm-Raised Catfish Sales Volume and Average Price by Month - United States: 2011 and 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Sales volume : Average price 2/ Item 1/ :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : August : July : August : August : July : August : 2011 : 2012 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : ------------ 1,000 pounds ------------ ------------- dollars per pound ------------ : Fresh fish : Whole : Round and gutted ...........: 771 1,232 1,022 1.93 1.54 1.34 Whole dressed ..............: 930 974 1,054 3.07 2.56 2.46 Total ......................: 1,701 2,206 2,076 2.61 2.04 1.95 : Other : Steaks .....................: 52 45 45 3.52 3.19 3.13 Nuggets ....................: 384 394 407 1.91 1.58 1.55 Other ......................: 26 20 24 4.87 4.50 4.43 Total ......................: 462 459 476 2.26 1.87 1.84 : Fillets ......................: 2,199 2,218 2,474 4.77 3.87 3.76 : Total fresh ..................: 4,362 4,883 5,026 3.66 2.86 2.83 : Frozen fish : Whole dressed ................: 585 573 633 3.15 2.89 2.85 : Other : Steaks .....................: 92 42 85 3.12 2.70 1.98 Nuggets ....................: 2,279 1,807 1,677 1.40 1.34 1.33 Other ......................: 498 446 507 4.08 3.15 3.18 Total ......................: 2,869 2,295 2,269 1.92 1.72 1.77 : Fillets ......................: 6,417 5,525 6,514 4.47 3.37 3.11 : Total frozen .................: 9,871 8,393 9,416 3.65 2.89 2.77 : Fresh and frozen fish : Whole : Round and gutted ...........: 771 1,232 1,022 1.93 1.54 1.34 Whole dressed ..............: 1,515 1,547 1,687 3.10 2.68 2.61 Total ......................: 2,286 2,779 2,709 2.75 2.22 2.16 : Other : Steaks .....................: 144 87 130 3.26 2.95 2.38 Nuggets ....................: 2,663 2,201 2,084 1.47 1.38 1.37 Other ......................: 524 466 531 4.12 3.21 3.24 Total ......................: 3,331 2,754 2,745 1.97 1.74 1.78 : Fillets ......................: 8,616 7,743 8,988 4.55 3.51 3.29 : Total fresh and frozen fish ..: 14,233 13,276 14,442 3.65 2.87 2.79 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ For further detail, please refer to the terms and definitions section of this report. 2/ Gross value FOB plant. Processed Farm-Raised Catfish Ending Inventory by Month - United States: 2011 and 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Ending inventory Item 1/ :----------------------------------------------------- : August 2011 : July 2012 : August 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 pounds : Fresh fish : Whole : Round and gutted .............: (D) (D) (D) Whole dressed ................: (D) (D) (D) Total ........................: 122 89 96 : Other : Steaks .......................: (D) (D) (D) Nuggets ......................: 66 47 55 Other ........................: (D) (D) (D) Total ........................: 73 50 56 : Fillets ........................: 389 289 297 : Total fresh ....................: 584 428 449 : Frozen fish : Whole dressed ..................: 372 284 375 : Other : Steaks .......................: (D) (D) (D) Nuggets ......................: 1,601 615 634 Other ........................: (D) (D) (D) Total ........................: 2,212 1,159 1,237 : Fillets ........................: 3,312 8,802 7,744 : Total frozen ...................: 5,896 10,245 9,356 : Fresh and frozen fish : Whole : Round and gutted .............: (D) (D) (D) Whole dressed ................: (D) (D) (D) Total ........................: 494 373 471 : Other : Steaks .......................: (D) (D) (D) Nuggets ......................: 1,667 662 689 Other ........................: (D) (D) (D) Total ........................: 2,285 1,209 1,293 : Fillets ........................: 3,701 9,091 8,041 : Total fresh and frozen fish ....: 6,480 10,673 9,805 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ For further detail, please refer to the terms and definitions section of this report. Catfish Imports by Month - United States: 2011-2012 [Data compiled by the United States Census Bureau. Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Imports :----------------------------------------------------------- : Ictalurus spp. : Total 1/ :----------------------------------------------------------- : : : 2012 as : : : 2012 as : : : percent : : : percent Month : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 pounds percent 1,000 pounds percent : January .......: 1,301 2,028 156 16,276 25,551 157 February ......: 1,015 1,317 130 13,790 15,238 111 March .........: 211 528 250 9,133 15,280 167 April .........: 216 534 247 13,325 19,756 148 May ...........: 113 345 305 16,314 20,100 123 June ..........: 11 352 3,200 14,643 18,847 129 July ..........: 19 73 384 18,034 22,604 125 August ........: 39 18,383 September .....: 171 18,576 October .......: 838 20,335 November ......: 1,372 22,262 December ......: 2,113 22,608 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes freshwater imports for consumption of "Ictalurus" spp., "Pangasius" spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes. Catfish Exports by Month - United States: 2011-2012 [Data compiled by the United States Census Bureau. Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Exports :----------------------------------------------------------- : Fresh : Frozen :----------------------------------------------------------- : : : 2012 as : : : 2012 as : : : percent : : : percent Month : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 : 2011 : 2012 : of 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 pounds percent 1,000 pounds percent : January .......: 53.9 85.2 158 10.2 2.7 26 February ......: 56.7 120.2 212 13.2 11.1 84 March .........: 42.3 129.5 306 2.2 68.0 3,091 April .........: 38.7 234.5 606 - 29.7 (X) May ...........: 41.0 83.6 204 3.0 4.6 153 June ..........: 38.0 82.7 218 1.8 10.9 606 July ..........: 150.0 114.1 76 7.8 5.3 68 August ........: 72.7 - September .....: 29.4 1.1 October .......: 55.9 3.6 November ......: 42.7 2.7 December ......: 51.4 3.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. (X) Not applicable. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Survey data for catfish processing are collected from approximately 17 processors. All participating processors must meet the minimum criteria of having a capacity to process at least 2,000 pounds live weight of catfish per 8-hour shift. The survey is conducted entirely by National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Headquarters staff in Washington, D.C. However, NASS field offices are responsible for informing Headquarters staff of any new processing operations in their state to ensure complete survey coverage. Processors are contacted either by mail, telephone, fax or internet. Diligent effort is made to ensure that all operations are accounted for in the estimate. Estimating Procedures: The Catfish Processing report refers strictly to farm- raised fish and excludes wild captured fish. Prior to summarization, questionnaires are compared with the previous month's reports for comparable placement of data, reasonable price levels, and a reasonable inventory carryover given the sales and processing totals reported. Estimates are made for those processors whose reports are not available in time to be included in the release. These plants are identified by an asterisk on page 6 of this release. Estimates are normally based on the processor's previous report and current conditions. Published totals are a straight summation of the individual reports and estimated data. Price items are weighted by the associated volumes to compute weighted average prices. The published price for total whole fish, however, reflects an adjustment to the round and gutted only price to bring it to an equivalent dressed weight price. If a plant uses a fiscal accounting system, prorating is used to convert reported data to a calendar month basis. Only national level estimates are published due to the limited number of plants involved. One unique feature of the Catfish Processing report is the listing of cooperating processors by name on each month's release. This feature originally was used to solicit industry cooperation in maintaining coverage, but it has continued because of the processors' overall acceptance of this policy. Import and export data for catfish, which are compiled by the United States Census Bureau, are also included in this report. Revision Policy: Revisions may be necessary in the previous month's publication based on late reports received from plants. These revisions are made to improve month to month relationships. In February, all monthly estimates for the previous year are reviewed and subject to revision. This review is primarily based on data that may have been received after the original estimates were published. Reliability: Estimates are based on a census of all known active processors and, therefore, have no sampling variability. However, estimates may be subject to errors such as omissions, duplication, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing of the data. These errors are minimized through strict quality controls in the edit and summarization process, and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Processing data were compiled in cooperation with the following processors: America's Catch, Inc. Heartland Catfish Carolina Classics Catfish, LLC Lake's Farm Raised Catfish, Inc. Consolidated Catfish Producers, LLC Pride of the Pond Delta Supreme Fish Processors Prime Line, Inc. Fish Breeders of Idaho, Inc. Seabrook Seafood, Inc. Freshwater Farms Products, LLC Simmons Farm Raised Catfish, Inc. Guidry Catfish, Inc. SouthFresh Farms Harings Pride Catfish Superior Fish Products Harvest Select Catfish, Inc. Terms and Definitions Used for Catfish Processing Estimates Average Price Paid to Producers: Refers to the price of fish delivered to the processing plant door. Price includes charges for any services provided by the processing plant, such as seining and hauling, but does not include any adjustments based on year-end settlements. Fillets: Boned sides of the fish, cut lengthwise away from the backbone. Includes regular, shank, and strip fillets; excludes any breaded products. Fresh Fish: Fish intended for immediate consumption. Also referred to as ice- packed. Frozen Fish: Fish which are individually quick frozen and glazed (IQF) or individually bagged and bulk frozen. Ictalurus spp.: All species under this genus, which includes channel catfish, blue catfish, and other catfish species. Nuggets: Small fillets cuts from below the rib section of the fish and usually includes weight of breading and added ingredients. Other Products: Includes steaks, nuggets, and all other products not separately reported including the weight of breading and added ingredients. Pangasius spp.: All species under this genus, which includes basa, tra, stuchi catfish, and other catfish species. Round & Gutted Only: Fish with no processing done or viscera only removed. Round Weight: The term for a fish's live weight. Siluriformes: The scientific order which contains all families of catfish. Steaks: Cross-section cuts from larger dressed fish. Strips: Finger size pieces of fish cut from fillets and usually includes breading or added ingredients. Whole Dressed: Weight of whole fish with only head, viscera, and skin removed. Generally, 60 percent of the live weight remains as dressed fish. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ................................... (202) 720-3570 Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ............ (202) 720-4447 Cody Brokmeyer - Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised .. (202) 690-3237 David Colwell - Cold Storage ......................................... (202) 720-8784 LaKeya Jones - Catfish Processing, Catfish Production, Trout Production, Census of Aquaculture, Honey, Egg Products, Mink ............ (202) 720-0585 Kim Linonis - Layers, Eggs ........................................... (202) 690-8632 Miste Salmon - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery .................... 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