USDA reported total red meat stocks in frozen storage increased 35.2 million lbs. during April but they remained 89.7 million lbs. (8.6%) below year-ago. Beef stocks declined less than average during the month, while pork inventories built more than normal.
Beef stocks totaled 430.7 million lbs. at the end of April, down 3.8 million lbs. from March, whereas the five-year average was a 21.6-million-lb. decline. Still, beef stocks stood 21.4 million lbs. (4.7%) below year-ago and 37.9 million lbs. (8.1%) under the five-year average.
Pork inventories rose to 501.3 million lbs., up 38.2 million lbs. from March versus the five-year average increase of 18.8 million lbs. during the month. But pork stocks were still down 66.2 million lbs. (11.7%) from April 2023 and 56.8 million lbs. (10.2%) below the five-year average.
Total poultry stocks increased 14.0 million lbs. from March to 1.138 billion lbs., though that was 62.0 million lbs. (5.2%) less than last year. Chicken breast meat inventories at 208.8 million lbs. declined 12.7 million lbs. (5.7%) from March and 13.2 million lbs. (6.0%) from year-ago.