Cold Storage Report: Beef stocks rise less than normal, pork inventories decline

Beef stocks increased less than normal during September, though inventories were record-large for the month. Pork stocks declined contra-seasonally last month.

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meat-iStock-157604381.jpg

Beef stocks totaled a September record 522.9 million lbs., up 9.1 million lbs. (1.8%) from August though slightly less than the five-year average increase of 12.6 million lbs. during the month. Beef inventories topped year-ago by 83.2 million lbs. (18.9%) and the five-year average by 47.9 million lbs. (10.1%).

Pork stocks totaled 537.9 million lbs., down 717,000 lbs. (0.1%) from August compared to the five-year average increase of 11.9 million lbs. during the month. Pork inventories increased 68.0 million lbs. (14.5%) from last year but were 10.6 million lbs. (1.9%) less than the five-year average.

Total poultry stocks at 1.269 billion lbs. increased 1.7 million lbs. (0.1%) from August and were 113.7 million lbs. (9.8%) above year-ago. But inventories were 114.1 million lbs. (8.3%) below the five-year average for September.