The latest US Cold Storage numbers reported pork stocks at 468.0 million pounds for January, up 40.6m pounds from December however is 50.9m pounds under year-ago levels. Notably, December's cold storage was revised only modestly higher from 427.3m pounds up to 427.4m pounds.
Most pork categories increased from the previous month, excluding lower quantities of bone-in picnics and the category accounting for Other pork, however are also well under stocks reported for January 2023 with exception to variety meats and unclassified pork.
Total hams overall in cold storage increased the most on the month, rising 19.2m pounds from December stocks with current supplies 4.3m pounds under a year earlier. Bone-in hams were up more in January compared to the boneless variety, however were also moderately higher than last year while boneless ham supplies were significantly lower. Spare-ribs were up 8.7m pounds in January though are a notable 27.2m pounds under last year, while pork bellies increased 8.0m pounds from a month earlier however are down 5.9m pounds compared to a year earlier.
Pork butts and variety meats each reportedly increased stocks by 2.4m pounds in January, with butts down 7.7m pounds compared to last year while variety meats were up 6.3m pounds from a year earlier. Total loins overall were up 20.m pounds in January and a modest 687 thousand pounds lower than year-ago supplies, with the boneless variety up significantly on the month though near even with last year and the bone-in variety lower compared to a month and year earlier.
Trimmings and unclassified pork were each up shy of 1.0m pounds for January, however current trimming stocks are 4.9m pounds under last year while classified pork supplies are up a more moderate 214 thousand pounds compared to January 2023. Bone-in picnics declined 526 thousand pounds in the latest data, brining current stocks 3.4m pounds under last year, while the category accounting for Other pork dropped 3.4m pounds in January and is also 3.4m pounds under year-ago supplies.
