The latest US Cold Storage numbers reported pork stocks at 422.3 million pounds for March, with varying moves in pork categories overall down -0.3% or 1.2m pounds from February which was revised +0.1% higher from 423.1m to 423.5m pounds. Compared to a year earlier, the latest pork stocks were down -8.8% or 40.8m pounds lower as many pork categories fell below year-ago levels. Current year-to-date stocks are down 132.1m pounds or -9.5% lower compared to the first quarter in 2024.
Total ham stocks fell 10.1m pounds in March in a move that can be considered seasonal, with the bone-in variety down 8.5m pounds and the boneless 1.7m pounds lower. Overall, total hams in cold storage were up 3.2m pounds compared to a year earlier which brought them +9.7% or 20.8m pounds over last YTD. Pork butts were down 3.9m pounds from February supplies and 1.0m pounds lower compared to a year earlier which brought them 1.3m pounds or -2.1% under last YTD, while trimmings declined 2.5m pounds for March to bring them 1.7m pounds under year-ago stocks but up a modest 226 thousand pounds or +0.2% over last YTD. The category accounting for Other Pork (which includes ears, tails, feet, neckbones and snouts) also declined, falling 1.1m pounds in the latest month, 10.7m pounds lower compared to last year and 33.1m pounds or -22.7% under last YTD.
Offsetting much of the month-over-month declines were primarily increases in bellies, spare-ribs and loins. Bellies in cold storage jumped 6.9m pounds in March but were 19.0m pounds under supplies recorded for last year and -27.4% or 54.9m pounds under last year-to-date. Spare-ribs increased 4.5m pounds on the month, up 2.7m pounds compared to a year earlier but 2.0m pounds or -0.8% under last YTD. Total loins were up 2.8m pounds from stocks recorded for February, down 3.2m pounds under last year and 19.9m pounds or -16.0% under last YTD. Variety meats and unclassified pork were both up shy of a million pounds from the previous month, with variety meats 6.1m pounds under last year and 17.6m pounds or -22.2% under last YTD while unclassified pork was 7.2m pounds under year-ago supplies and 29.8m pounds or -21.9% lower YTD. Bone-in picnics climbed 306 thousand pounds in March, up 2.3m pounds compared to last year and 5.4m pounds or +34.4% over last YTD.
