Aq 2 (7-04) Catfish Production National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released July 27, 2004, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on Catfish Production call John Lange at (202) 720-0585, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Foodfish Inventory Numbers Down 9 Percent From Year Ago Levels Commercial catfish operations in the four major producing States (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) had 317 million foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2004, down 9 percent from the July 1, 2003 total of 347 million. The breakouts of foodsize fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2004, with their respective percent change from the previous year are: large foodsize, 7.80 million, up 6 percent; medium foodsize, 78.5 million, down 8 percent; and small foodsize, 231 million, down 9 percent. The four major States also had 913 thousand broodfish on hand on July 1, 2004, up 2 percent from last year's 894 thousand. The number of large stockers on hand on July 1, 2004, totaled 300 million fish, down 4 percent from the 314 million fish on hand a year ago. There were 325 million small stockers, down 3 percent from last year. Producers had 1.30 billion fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2004, down 13 percent from the 1.50 billion on hand July 1, 2003. Live weight, at 16.9 million pounds, was down 24 percent from the 22.3 million pounds a year ago. Water Acres Down 3 Percent The water surface area to be used for catfish production during July 1 through December 31, 2004, totaled 170,100 acres, down 3 percent from a year ago. Acres used for foodsize fish totaled 141,200 acres, down 1 percent from July 2003. Acres for broodfish were down 16 percent to 3,390 acres, and acres used for fingerling production decreased 13 percent to 20,720 acres. Acres taken out of production during the January 1, 2004 through June 30, 2004 period totaled 12,740, while 3,940 acres of the total in production were scheduled to be renovated from July 1, 2004 to December 31. The total number of operations on July 1, 2004 in the four major states was 886, up 7 percent from the year ago total of 825. Catfish: Number of Operations and Water Surface Acres, Used for Production, 2003-2004, by State and United States ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of : Water Surface Acres : Operations : Used for Production State : on Jul 1 : During Jul 1 - Dec 31 :--------------------------------------------------------------- : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Number ----- -------- Acres -------- : AL : 220 250 26,000 25,700 AR : 150 158 33,500 33,000 LA : 50 48 9,400 8,400 MS : 405 430 106,000 103,000 : Four State : Total : 825 886 174,900 170,100 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Production: Water Surface Acre Usage, by State and United States, 2003-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :Acres Intended for Utilization During Jul 1-Dec 31 for- : :--------------------------------------------------------:Acres Taken : : : : Currently Under : Out of State : : : : or Scheduled for - : Production : Foodsize :Fingerlings:Broodfish:-----------------------: During : : : : : New :Jan 1-Jun 30 : : : :Renovation:Construction: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2003 : : AL : 22,900 1,700 480 590 80 760 AR : 28,000 4,300 600 500 * 900 LA : 8,100 960 145 600 60 590 MS : 84,100 16,900 2,800 2,100 100 2,700 : Four State: Total : 143,100 23,860 4,025 3,790 * 4,950 : 2004 : : AL : 23,200 1,400 420 580 100 1,000 AR : 28,600 3,500 550 750 4,800 LA : 7,400 820 120 210 540 MS : 82,000 15,000 2,300 2,400 700 6,400 : Four State: Total : 141,200 20,720 3,390 3,940 800 12,740 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish: Inventory by Size Category, by State and United States, July 1, 2003-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Live Weight Size Category : of :-------------------------------------- and : Fish : Total : Average per Fish State :--------------------------------------------------------- : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----1,000---- 1,000 Pounds ----Pounds---- : Large Foodsize : : AL : 2,500 3,100 8,150 10,400 3.3 3.4 AR : 1,130 1,210 3,650 4,100 3.2 3.4 LA : 450 690 1,680 2,490 3.7 3.6 MS : 3,300 2,800 11,400 9,800 3.5 3.5 : Four State : Total : 7,380 7,800 24,880 26,790 3.4 3.4 : : Medium Foodsize : : AL : 19,200 17,300 34,100 33,100 1.8 1.9 AR : 20,300 16,400 38,600 30,500 1.9 1.9 LA : 8,900 4,970 15,600 9,800 1.8 2.0 MS : 36,800 39,800 68,000 77,000 1.8 1.9 : Four State : Total : 85,200 78,470 156,300 150,400 1.8 1.9 : : Small Foodsize : : AL : 55,100 40,500 54,600 40,600 1.0 1.0 AR : 43,800 45,700 39,500 45,600 0.9 1.0 LA : 12,000 6,700 10,900 6,600 0.9 1.0 MS : 143,400 138,000 143,300 136,000 1.0 1.0 : Four State : Total : 254,300 230,900 248,300 228,800 1.0 1.0 : : Total Foodsize : : AL : 76,800 60,900 96,850 84,100 AR : 65,230 63,310 81,750 80,200 LA : 21,350 12,360 28,180 18,890 MS : 183,500 180,600 222,700 222,800 : Four State : Total : 346,880 317,170 429,480 405,990 : : Broodfish : : AL : 65 130 400 730 6.2 5.6 AR : 110 110 570 590 5.2 5.4 LA : 19 23 100 133 5.3 5.8 MS : 700 650 3,200 3,100 4.6 4.8 : Four State : Total : 894 913 4,270 4,553 4.8 5.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish: Inventory by Size Category, by State and United States, July 1, 2003-2004 (continued) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Live Weight : of :-------------------------------------- Size Category : Fish : Total : Average and : : : per 1,000 Fish State :--------------------------------------------------------- : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----1,000---- 1,000 Pounds ----Pounds---- : Large Stockers : : AL : 54,300 69,300 20,000 25,800 368 372 AR : 45,600 47,400 16,000 16,800 351 354 LA : 6,800 8,970 3,000 2,850 441 318 MS : 207,000 174,000 84,600 71,000 409 408 : Four State : Total : 313,700 299,670 123,600 116,450 394 389 : : Small Stockers : : AL : 36,500 43,900 3,600 4,200 98.6 95.7 AR : 63,500 55,000 6,000 5,550 94.5 101 LA : 10,100 5,750 1,230 630 122 110 MS : 225,000 220,000 21,200 21,500 94.2 97.7 : Four State : Total : 335,100 324,650 32,030 31,880 95.6 98.2 : : Total Stockers : : AL : 90,800 113,200 23,600 30,000 AR : 109,100 102,400 22,000 22,350 LA : 16,900 14,720 4,230 3,480 MS : 432,000 394,000 105,800 92,500 : Four State : Total : 648,800 624,320 155,630 148,330 : : Fingerlings : and Fry : : AL : 92,500 91,000 1,430 1,220 15.5 13.4 AR : 220,000 220,000 3,600 3,000 16.4 13.6 LA : 85,300 49,000 1,400 570 16.4 11.6 MS :1,104,000 940,000 15,900 12,100 14.4 12.9 : Four State : Total :1,501,8001,300,000 22,330 16,890 14.9 13.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish: Round Weight Processed, United States, by Month, 1995-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year : Jan : Feb : Mar : Apr : May : Jun -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds : 1995 : 38,807 38,515 42,200 36,588 37,030 36,047 1996 : 38,475 38,004 46,376 38,557 39,517 36,752 1997 : 42,409 45,067 48,431 45,721 43,409 42,282 1998 : 46,723 47,606 53,761 49,393 45,218 46,244 1999 : 48,723 48,891 56,310 46,830 47,703 48,445 2000 : 50,552 50,942 56,856 48,781 48,424 48,011 2001 : 46,999 50,257 57,766 52,478 51,736 47,883 2002 : 52,551 52,856 58,340 50,694 52,902 49,450 2003 : 55,523 55,461 65,007 57,105 58,424 52,441 2004 : 53,849 54,173 60,272 53,896 52,324 50,155 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Jul : Aug : Sep : Oct : Nov : Dec : Total :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds : 1995 : 35,800 38,827 37,634 39,456 34,119 31,863 446,886 1996 : 39,025 40,463 38,807 42,070 37,203 36,874 472,123 1997 : 43,376 44,154 43,472 46,275 40,137 40,216 524,949 1998 : 46,383 47,739 46,579 47,904 43,224 43,581 564,355 1999 : 50,074 50,372 50,414 52,407 48,118 48,341 596,628 2000 : 49,023 53,204 49,422 51,412 45,535 41,441 593,603 2001 : 47,829 51,690 49,699 52,264 44,670 43,837 597,108 2002 : 52,363 54,383 53,366 56,576 50,072 47,048 630,601 2003 : 54,089 54,153 51,885 57,652 51,246 48,518 661,504 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish: Prices Paid to Producers by Processors, United States, by Month, 1995-2004 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year : Jan : Feb : Mar : Apr : May : Jun -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Dollars per Pound : 1995 : 0.78 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 1996 : 0.77 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.79 0.79 1997 : 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.72 1998 : 0.69 0.73 0.78 0.79 0.79 0.78 1999 : 0.703 0.714 0.732 0.756 0.777 0.775 2000 : 0.744 0.788 0.789 0.789 0.785 0.786 2001 : 0.693 0.696 0.697 0.694 0.687 0.669 2002 : 0.549 0.555 0.565 0.561 0.574 0.588 2003 : 0.529 0.544 0.585 0.630 0.618 0.586 2004 : 0.668 0.703 0.723 0.728 0.720 0.689 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : Annual : Jul : Aug : Sep : Oct : Nov : Dec : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Dollars per Pound : 1995 : 0.79 0.79 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.786 1996 : 0.79 0.78 0.77 0.76 0.75 0.73 0.773 1997 : 0.71 0.70 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.712 1998 : 0.76 0.74 0.73 0.71 0.70 0.70 0.743 1999 : 0.768 0.743 0.728 0.716 0.713 0.716 0.737 2000 : 0.760 0.741 0.727 0.710 0.696 0.682 0.751 2001 : 0.656 0.624 0.610 0.596 0.566 0.554 0.647 2002 : 0.590 0.582 0.576 0.568 0.560 0.544 0.568 2003 : 0.564 0.552 0.560 0.567 0.610 0.629 0.581 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Price of fish delivered to processing plant door. Price includes charges for services provided by the processing plant, but does not include any adjustments based on year-end settlements. Methodology and Definitions Survey Procedures: All known catfish operators in the four survey states were contacted during the first half of July by mail, telephone, and personal interview. Estimation Procedures: Sound statistical methodology was employed to derive the estimates from reported data. All data were analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation were compared to their own past operating profile and to trends of similar operations. Data for missing operations were estimated based on similar operations or historical data. Reliability: Catfish estimates are based on a census of all known active producers 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. Revision policy: Estimates for the previous year are subject to revision when current estimates are made. Revisions are the result of late or corrected data. Definitions Used for Catfish Production: Broodfish - Fish kept for egg production, including males. Broodfish produce the fertilized eggs which go to hatcheries. The most desirable size is 3 to 10 pounds or 4 to 6 years of age. Large Foodsize - Fish weighing over 3 pounds. Medium Foodsize - Fish weighing over one and one-half pounds to 3 pounds. Small Foodsize - Fish weighing over three-fourths pound to one and one-half pounds. Large Stockers - Fish weighing over 180 pounds to 750 pounds per 1,000 fish. Small Stockers - Fish weighing over 60 pounds to 180 pounds per 1,000 fish. Fingerlings/Fry - Fish weighing 60 pounds per 1,000 fish and less. 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