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The latest US Cold Storage numbers reported pork stocks at 525.9 million pounds for May, down 41.6m pounds from April and 20.2m pounds under year-ago levels. Notably, April's cold storage amount was revised +0.3% higher from 565.5m pounds up to 567.4m pounds.
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Most pork categories reported decreased amounts from April into May, excluding a modest increase in unclassified pork, belly stocks and a jump in ham supplies. Total hams rose 17.9m pounds on the month with the bone-in variety up more than boneless hams, bringing all hams overall 8.9m pounds over supplies recorded last year. Bellies in cold storage climbed 1.3m pounds in May, pushing pork bellies 25.8m over a year earlier and notably reached the highest monthly belly stocks recorded since June 2014 at 83.9m pounds. The category accounting for unclassified pork edged 114 thousand pounds higher on the month, which is 3.0m pounds under a year earlier.
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Spare-ribs recorded the largest decrease in May, dropping 27.0m pounds on the month in a generally seasonal move though fell to an 18-month low and is 36.3m under last year, while the category accounting for Other Pork fell 12.8m pounds on the month and is 6.3m under a year earlier. Total loins in cold storage declined 9.4m pounds for May and is 6.8m pounds under last year, with both varieties generally down evenly on the month however the boneless variety is significantly under year-ago levels while the bone-in variety is higher than a year earlier. Butts in cold storage were down 4.1m pounds from last reported and is 3.4m pounds under last year, while variety meats fell 3.1m pounds for May and is 1.4m under a year earlier. Trimmings declined 2.8m pounds in cold storage on the month however is 3.0m pounds over year-ago levels, while bone-in picnics were down 1.7m pounds in May and is 856 thousand pounds under last year.
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Pork in cold storage generally declines from May into June, a result of increased demand during the summer grilling season.