USDA’s Cold Storage Report showed the movement of beef into frozen storage was greater than average during January. Pork stock inventories climbed less than normal during the month.
Frozen beef stocks at the end of January totaled 463.3 million lbs., up 9.9 million lbs. from December, whereas the five-year average was a 1.6-million-lb. increase. Beef inventories declined 1.3 million lbs. (0.3%) from last year and were 44.7 million lbs. (8.8%) below the five-year average.
Pork stocks at 410.2 million lbs. increased 13.7 million lbs. from December, far less than the five-year average rise of 44.7 million lbs. during the month. Pork inventories fell 53.1 million lbs. (11.5%) from year-ago and were 89.8 million lbs. (21.9%) below the five-year average.
Poultry stocks totaled 1.069 billion lbs., including 247.1 million lbs. of chicken breast meat. Chicken meat inventories increased 6.1 million lbs. from December and 11.7 million lbs. from year-ago.