HDR1012000170010224981500Catfish Processing Catfish Processing National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 24, 1998, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Catfish Processing" call Jim Brewster at (202) 720-8784, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Catfish Processing Up 10 Percent Farm-raised catfish processed during January totaled 46.7 million pounds round weight, up 10 percent from January 1997. The average price paid to producers was 69 cents per pound for January 1998, unchanged from the last four months but down 4 cents from a year ago. Net pounds of processed fish sold during January totaled 23.6 million pounds, up 14 percent from the comparable month in 1997. Sales of fresh fish, at 9.49 million pounds, were up 14 percent from January 1997 and represented 40 percent of total sales. Frozen fish sales, at 14.1 million pounds, were up 13 percent from a year ago, and accounted for the remaining 60 percent of total fish sales. Sales of whole fish represented 21 percent of the total, fillets accounted for 58 percent, and the remaining 21 percent were mostly, steaks, nuggets, and value added products. Freshwater catfish imports for December 1997 totaled 19,000 pounds, down 14 percent from December last year. Brazil accounted for 78 percent of the imports in December while Canada accounted for the remaining 22 percent. Exports reported for December 1997 were 66.8 thousand pounds, fifty-six percent of which were to France and the remaining 44 percent to Germany. Import and export data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Census. 1997 Catfish Processing Up 11 Percent, Setting New Record Farm-raised catfish processed during 1997 totaled 525 million pounds,a new record, 11 percent above the 472 million pounds processed in 1996, the previous record. The average price paid to producers for 1997 was 71.2 cents per pound, down 8 percent from the 77.3 cents average of 1996. Net pounds of processed fish sold in 1997 totaled 262 million pounds, an increase of 10 percent from the 1996 sales of 237 million pounds. Sales of fresh fish, at 107 million pounds, represented 41 percent of total sales and were up 10 percent from 1996. Frozen fish sales, at 155 million pounds, were up 11 percent and accounted for the remaining 59 percent of total sales. The 1997 average price received by processors for total fresh fish was $2.11 per pound, 12 cents below the $2.23 average in 1996. Total frozen fish at $2.36 per pound, were 10 cents below the 1996 average price of $2.46. Aq 1 (2-98) Farm-Raised Catfish: Quantity Processed and Prices Paid to Producers by Major Processors, and United States Imports, 1997-98 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Round Weight Processed : Average Price : Imports :------------------------------------: Paid to : of Month : Monthly : Cumulative : Producers 1/ : Catfish 2/ :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 : 1996 : 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : ---------- 1,000 Pounds -------- Dollars Per Pound (000) Pounds : Jan : 42,409 46,723 42,409 46,723 .73 .69 256 64 Feb : 45,067 87,476 .73 304 44 Mar : 48,431 135,907 .73 401 44 Apr : 45,721 181,628 .73 60 15 May : 43,409 225,037 .73 373 0 Jun : 42,282 267,319 .72 197 71 Jul : 43,376 310,695 .71 219 134 Aug : 44,154 354,849 .70 164 235 Sep : 43,472 398,321 .69 195 32 Oct : 46,275 444,596 .69 188 163 Nov : 40,137 484,733 .69 103 121 Dec : 40,216 524,949 .69 22 19 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Price for fish delivered to 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. 2/ Data furnished by U.S. Bureau of Census. Catfish Processors: Sales Volume, Average Price, and Ending Inventory, United States, December 1997-98 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Sales : Average : Ending : Volume : Price : Inventory Item :------------------------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : 1,000 Pounds Dollars Per Pound 1,000 Pounds Fresh : Whole Fish : Round & Gutted : Only : 1,027 1,023 1.03 .99 1/ 1/ Whole Dressed : 2,375 2,677 1.80 1.70 1/ 1/ Total : 3,402 3,700 1.59 1.52 232 218 : Other : Steaks : 85 74 2.05 1.96 1/ 10 Nuggets : 1,011 1,229 1.42 1.34 59 84 Other 2/ : 191 196 3.17 3.19 1/ 5 Total : 1,287 1,499 1.72 1.61 70 99 : Fillets 3/ : 3,627 4,292 2.80 2.71 385 418 : Total Fresh : 8,316 9,491 2.14 2.07 687 735 : Frozen : Whole Fish : Round & Gutted : Only : Whole Dressed : 1,175 1,185 1.95 1.87 1,470 1,057 Total : 1,175 1,185 1.95 1.87 1,470 1,057 : Other : Steaks : 193 145 1.77 1.83 192 133 Nuggets : 1,908 2,320 1.31 1.19 1,134 1,353 Other 2/ : 914 1,003 2.74 2.62 1,172 869 Total : 3,015 3,468 1.77 1.63 2,498 2,355 : Fillets 3/ : 8,240 9,432 2.65 2.58 7,659 6,893 : Total Frozen : 12,430 14,085 2.37 2.28 11,627 10,305 : Total Fresh & Frozen : 20,746 23,576 2.28 2.20 12,314 11,040 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations. 2/ Includes all products not already reported, including weight of breading and added ingredients. 3/ Includes regular, shank, and strip fillets; excludes any breaded product. Catfish Processors: Fresh and Frozen Annual Sales Volume by Month, United States, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Whole Fish : Other : : :-------------------------------------------------------: : Month : Rnd & : : : : : : :Fillets: Total :Gutted : Whole : Total :Steaks :Nuggets: Other : Total : 2/ : Sales : Only :Dressed: : : : 1/ : : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Fresh : Jan : 1,027 2,375 3,402 85 1,011 191 1,287 3,627 8,316 Feb : 999 2,633 3,632 79 1,221 197 1,497 4,272 9,401 Mar : 1,225 2,908 4,133 93 1,263 206 1,562 4,531 10,226 Apr : 1,097 2,673 3,770 97 1,247 186 1,530 4,084 9,384 May : 953 2,503 3,456 98 1,130 202 1,430 4,126 9,012 Jun : 1,107 2,340 3,447 100 1,024 183 1,307 3,894 8,648 Jul : 1,065 2,416 3,481 85 1,084 216 1,385 4,033 8,899 Aug : 917 2,367 3,284 83 1,044 205 1,332 4,135 8,751 Sep : 918 2,452 3,370 80 1,088 190 1,358 4,009 8,737 Oct : 1,022 2,576 3,598 80 1,216 202 1,498 4,464 9,560 Nov : 734 2,268 3,002 73 960 179 1,212 3,623 7,837 Dec : 924 2,127 3,051 77 915 155 1,147 3,543 7,741 : Total:11,988 29,638 41,626 1,030 13,203 2,312 16,545 48,341 106,512 : Frozen : Jan : 1,175 1,175 193 1,908 914 3,015 8,240 12,430 Feb : 1,484 1,484 158 2,131 1,269 3,558 8,615 13,657 Mar : 1,360 1,360 183 1,977 1,262 3,422 9,616 14,398 Apr : 1,239 1,239 169 1,864 905 2,938 8,593 12,770 May : 1,228 1,228 197 1,919 1,045 3,161 9,043 13,432 Jun : 1,174 1,174 213 1,737 938 2,888 8,761 12,823 Jul : 1,008 1,008 187 1,923 1,038 3,148 8,811 12,967 Aug : 1,181 1,181 209 2,134 1,020 3,363 9,253 13,797 Sep : 1,162 1,162 190 1,868 1,020 3,078 8,541 12,781 Oct : 1,108 1,108 218 2,383 1,090 3,691 9,049 13,848 Nov : 891 891 188 1,741 1,017 2,946 7,971 11,808 Dec : 793 793 146 1,379 859 2,384 7,360 10,537 : Total : 13,803 13,803 2,251 22,964 12,377 37,592 103,853 155,248 : Fresh &: Frozen: Jan : 1,027 3,550 4,577 278 2,919 1,105 4,302 11,867 20,746 Feb : 999 4,117 5,116 237 3,352 1,466 5,055 12,887 23,058 Mar : 1,225 4,268 5,493 276 3,240 1,468 4,984 14,147 24,624 Apr : 1,097 3,912 5,009 266 3,111 1,091 4,468 12,677 22,154 May : 953 3,731 4,684 295 3,049 1,247 4,591 13,169 22,444 Jun : 1,107 3,514 4,621 313 2,761 1,121 4,195 12,655 21,471 Jul : 1,065 3,424 4,489 272 3,007 1,254 4,533 12,844 21,866 Aug : 917 3,548 4,465 292 3,178 1,225 4,695 13,388 22,548 Sep : 918 3,614 4,532 270 2,956 1,210 4,436 12,550 21,518 Oct : 1,022 3,684 4,706 298 3,599 1,292 5,189 13,513 23,408 Nov : 734 3,159 3,893 261 2,701 1,196 4,158 11,594 19,645 Dec : 924 2,920 3,844 223 2,294 1,014 3,531 10,903 18,278 : Total :11,988 43,441 55,429 3,281 36,167 14,689 54,137 152,194 261,760 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes all products not already reported, such as nuggets, including weight of breading, and added ingredients. 2/ Includes regular, shank, and strip fillets; excludes any breaded products. 3/ Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations. Catfish Processors: Fresh and Frozen Average Sales Price by Month, United States, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Whole Fish : Other : : :-------------------------------------------------------: : Month : Rnd & : : : : : : :Fillets: Total :Gutted : Whole : Total :Steaks :Nuggets: Other : Total : 2/ : Sales : Only :Dressed: : : : 1/ : : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Dollars per Pound Fresh : Jan : 1.03 1.80 1.59 2.05 1.42 3.17 1.72 2.80 2.14 Feb : 1.03 1.80 1.60 2.06 1.37 3.38 1.67 2.79 2.15 Mar : 1.02 1.79 1.58 2.06 1.38 3.35 1.68 2.80 2.14 Apr : 1.01 1.76 1.56 2.01 1.37 3.30 1.64 2.78 2.10 May : .99 1.76 1.56 2.01 1.37 3.26 1.68 2.78 2.14 Jun : .99 1.74 1.52 2.02 1.37 3.25 1.68 2.77 2.11 Jul : .99 1.71 1.51 1.98 1.37 3.23 1.70 2.75 2.10 Aug : .98 1.72 1.53 2.00 1.37 3.21 1.69 2.74 2.13 Sep : .99 1.72 1.54 2.01 1.36 3.20 1.65 2.73 2.11 Oct : .98 1.70 1.52 1.98 1.32 3.18 1.60 2.69 2.08 Nov : .99 1.70 1.54 2.01 1.34 3.18 1.66 2.67 2.08 Dec : .98 1.70 1.50 2.02 1.35 3.20 1.64 2.71 2.08 : Avg : 1.00 1.74 1.55 2.02 1.37 3.24 1.67 2.75 2.11 : Frozen : Jan : 1.95 1.95 1.77 1.31 2.74 1.77 2.65 2.37 Feb : 1.94 1.94 1.86 1.35 2.70 1.86 2.71 2.40 Mar : 1.96 1.96 1.70 1.36 2.68 1.86 2.69 2.42 Apr : 1.97 1.97 1.78 1.32 2.72 1.78 2.67 2.39 May : 1.94 1.94 1.74 1.30 2.69 1.78 2.64 2.38 Jun : 1.93 1.93 1.52 1.28 2.71 1.76 2.62 2.37 Jul : 1.93 1.93 1.66 1.25 2.69 1.75 2.63 2.36 Aug : 1.92 1.92 1.79 1.25 2.69 1.72 2.61 2.34 Sep : 1.91 1.91 1.71 1.22 2.67 1.73 2.63 2.35 Oct : 1.91 1.91 1.62 1.22 2.59 1.65 2.60 2.29 Nov : 1.87 1.87 1.55 1.21 2.45 1.66 2.56 2.29 Dec : 1.88 1.88 1.80 1.26 2.63 1.79 2.58 2.35 : Avg : 1.93 1.93 1.70 1.28 2.66 1.76 2.63 2.36 : Fresh & : Frozen : Jan : 1.03 1.85 1.68 1.86 1.35 2.81 1.76 2.70 2.28 Feb : 1.03 1.85 1.70 1.93 1.36 2.79 1.80 2.74 2.30 Mar : 1.02 1.84 1.67 1.82 1.37 2.77 1.80 2.73 2.30 Apr : 1.01 1.83 1.66 1.86 1.34 2.82 1.73 2.71 2.27 May : .99 1.82 1.66 1.83 1.33 2.78 1.75 2.68 2.28 Jun : .99 1.80 1.62 1.68 1.31 2.80 1.74 2.67 2.26 Jul : .99 1.77 1.60 1.76 1.29 2.78 1.73 2.67 2.25 Aug : .98 1.79 1.63 1.85 1.29 2.78 1.71 2.65 2.25 Sep : .99 1.78 1.63 1.80 1.27 2.75 1.71 2.66 2.25 Oct : .98 1.76 1.61 1.72 1.25 2.68 1.64 2.63 2.20 Nov : .99 1.75 1.62 1.68 1.26 2.56 1.66 2.59 2.20 Dec : .98 1.75 1.58 1.88 1.30 2.72 1.74 2.62 2.23 : Avg : 1.00 1.80 1.64 1.80 1.31 2.75 1.73 2.67 2.26 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes all products not already reported, such as nuggets, including weight of breading, and added ingredients. 2/ Includes regular, shank, and strip fillets; excludes any breaded products. 3/ Not published to avoid disclosure of indvidual operations. Catfish Processors: Fresh and Frozen End-of-Month Inventory by Month, United States, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Whole Fish : Other : : :-------------------------------------------------------: : Month : Rnd & : : : : : : :Fillets: :Gutted : Whole : Total :Steaks :Nuggets: Other : Total : 2/ : Total : Only :Dressed: : : : 3/ : : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds Fresh : Jan : 3/ 3/ 232 3/ 59 3/ 70 385 687 Feb : 3/ 3/ 242 3/ 72 3/ 100 477 819 Mar : 3/ 3/ 200 3/ 105 3/ 122 369 691 Apr : 3/ 3/ 216 3/ 64 3/ 73 407 696 May : 3/ 3/ 201 3/ 67 3/ 78 344 623 Jun : 3/ 3/ 195 3/ 84 3/ 101 373 669 Jul : 3/ 3/ 186 3/ 84 3/ 99 394 679 Aug : 3/ 3/ 190 3/ 74 3/ 97 353 640 Sep : 3/ 3/ 184 3/ 97 3/ 111 424 719 Oct : 3/ 3/ 168 3/ 105 3/ 118 462 748 Nov : 3/ 3/ 138 3/ 62 3/ 67 353 558 Dec : 3/ 3/ 151 3/ 61 3/ 76 329 556 : Frozen : Jan : 1,470 1,470 192 1,134 1,172 2,498 7,659 11,627 Feb : 1,444 1,444 192 881 1,048 2,121 7,155 10,720 Mar : 1,550 1,550 185 749 774 1,708 6,346 9,604 Apr : 1,537 1,537 216 766 887 1,869 6,837 10,243 May : 1,452 1,452 227 763 826 1,816 6,115 9,383 Jun : 1,442 1,442 202 942 717 1,861 5,657 8,960 Jul : 1,430 1,430 169 1,016 851 2,036 5,370 8,836 Aug : 1,240 1,240 114 1,261 872 2,247 5,442 8,929 Sep : 984 984 98 1,406 723 2,227 5,834 9,045 Oct : 937 937 73 1,112 701 1,886 6,091 8,914 Nov : 1,061 1,061 105 1,278 622 2,005 6,695 9,761 Dec : 1,142 1,142 132 1,752 793 2,677 7,536 11,355 : Fresh & : Frozen : Jan : 3/ 3/ 1,702 3/ 1,193 3/ 2,568 8,044 12,314 Feb : 3/ 3/ 1,686 3/ 953 3/ 2,221 7,632 11,539 Mar : 3/ 3/ 1,750 3/ 854 3/ 1,830 6,715 10,295 Apr : 3/ 3/ 1,753 3/ 830 3/ 1,942 7,244 10,939 May : 3/ 3/ 1,653 3/ 830 3/ 1,894 6,459 10,006 Jun : 3/ 3/ 1,637 3/ 1,026 3/ 1,962 6,030 9,629 Jul : 3/ 3/ 1,616 3/ 1,100 3/ 2,135 5,764 9,515 Aug : 3/ 3/ 1,430 3/ 1,335 3/ 2,344 5,795 9,569 Sep : 3/ 3/ 1,168 3/ 1,503 3/ 2,338 6,258 9,764 Oct : 3/ 3/ 1,105 3/ 1,217 3/ 2,004 6,553 9,662 Nov : 3/ 3/ 1,199 3/ 1,340 3/ 2,072 7,048 10,319 Dec : 3/ 3/ 1,293 3/ 1,813 3/ 2,753 7,865 11,911 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes all products not already reported, such as nuggets, including weight of breading, and added ingredients. 2/ Includes regular, shank, and strip fillets; excludes any breaded products. 3/ Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations. Catfish Processing Estimates Survey Procedures: Survey data for catfish processing are collected from approximately 30 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 NASS Headquarter's staff in Washington, D.C. NASS field offices, however, are responsible for keeping Headquarters informed of any new processing operations in their state to ensure that the survey coverage is as complete as possible. Processors are contacted either by mail or telephone. Diligent effort is made to ensure that all operations are accounted for in the estimate. Estimation Procedures:The "Catfish Processing" report refers strictly to farm- raised fish and excludes wild capture fish. Prior to summarization, questionnaires are compared with the previous month's reports for comparable placement of data, reasonable price levels, and 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 5 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, proration 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. Generally, individual items are not published if there are less than three plants reporting, or if any one plant has 60 percent or more of the total. 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 frozen catfish fillets, which are compiled by the Department of Commerce, are also included in this report. Reliability: Catfish processing 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. Revision Policy: Revisions may be necessary following a review of late reports received from plants. Revisions of less than 2 percent of the existing published levels of any category will normally not be made. Definitions Used For Catfish Processing: 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. 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. Nuggets - Small fillets cut from below the rib section of the fish. Usually includes breading or added ingredients. Round & Gutted Only - Fish with no processing done or viscera only removed. Round Weight - A term for fish live weight. Steaks - Cross-section cuts from larger dressed fish. Strips - Finger size pieces of fish cut from fillets. 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. Processing data were compiled in cooperation with the following processors: America's Catch Guidry Catfish Processors, Inc. Amite River Industries Harvest Select Aqua Farm Catfish Heartland Catfish Carolina Classics Catfish, Inc. Lake's Farm Raised Catfish, Inc. Confish Inc. Pride of Florida Corbin Fish Farm Pride of the Pond Delta Pride Catfish, Inc. Pride of the South Catfish Co. Dorey Fish Co. Prime Line Catfish Co. Farm Fresh Catfish Co. Seabrook Seafood, Inc. Fast Catfish Simmons Farm-Raised Fish Breeders of Idaho Southern Farm Fish Processors Franklin Catfish Southern Pride Freshwater Farms, Inc. Southfresh Farms GAF Fisheries Superior Fish Processors * Estimated The next "Catfish Processing" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on March 24, 1998. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington, D.C., 20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! 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