WASHINGTON – Stocks of frozen red meat and poultry climbed higher in April, the US Department of Agriculture said in its Cold Storage report.
On April 30, 2015, total red meat supplies in freezers were 1.22 billion lbs., an increase of 2 percent from the March 31, 2015 total of 1.02 billion lbs., and 20 percent higher compared to the year-ago period.
Total pounds of beef in freezers declined 1 percent to 476,702,000 lbs. for the month. Compared to a year ago, total beef stocks jumped 18 percent to 402,281,000.
Frozen pork supplies reached 699,606,000 lbs., up 4 percent from March and up 20 percent from April 2014. Stocks of pork bellies climbed 3 percent to 70,393,000 lbs. but declined 16 percent from the year-ago total of 83,579,000 lbs., USDA reported.
Poultry in freezers increased 6 percent to total 1.165 billion lbs. for the month, according to USDA data. Compared to a year ago, frozen poultry supplies jumped 21 percent.
Total stocks of chicken totaled 765,517,000 lbs., up 2 percent from the previous month and up 31 percent from April 2014.
Supplies of turkey in freezers were 394,382,000 lbs., 14 percent higher compared to 345,578,000 lbs. reported in March and 5 percent higher compared to a year ago.
