In the latest data, Canadian stocks of frozen and chilled pork for the second quarter rose 3,785 tonnes or +4.9% from the previous quarter, bringing the latest stocks 2,721 tonnes or -3.2% under year-ago supplies. Despite overall supplies reportedly under the previous year, current levels remain elevated compared to pre-Covid quarters.
A significant portion of the overall quarter-over-quarter rise can be attributed to increased supplies of pork trimmings, hams and ribs. Pork trimmings increased the most from last reported, up 3,089 or +30.2% to 13,317 tonnes in the second quarter and brings trimmings 2,264 tonnes or +20.5% over last year. Quarterly hams were up seasonally, rising 2,297 or +24.1% to 11,842 tonnes bringing the latest stocks 1,155 tonnes or -8.9% under Q2 2023, while ribs stocks increased 1,726 tonnes or +15.4% from the previous quarter to 12,955 tonnes (a new historical high surpassing Q1 2023 at 12,562 tonnes) and up 2,474 tonnes or +23.6% over a year earlier. Increased quantities of loins and backs & shoulders moved more moderately in comparison, however both continue below year-ago levels. Pork loin stocks climbed 537 tonnes or +9.7% higher than the previous quarter to 6,056 tonnes but is -8.3% under the same quarter last year, while backs & shoulders climbed 228 tonnes or +12.1% from Q1 to 2,115 tonnes however is 1,289 or -37.9% under a year earlier.
Tempering some of the earlier mentioned quarter-over-quarter increases were reduced stocks of unclassified pork, picnics, bellies and butts. The category accounting for unclassified pork fell 1,980 tonnes or -7.1% in the latest quarter to 26,027 tonnes, bringing the category 1,792 tonnes or -6.4% under a year earlier. Picnics fell 910 tonnes or -21.2% under Q1 to 3,387 tonnes and is 599 tonnes or -15.0% under last year, while bellies were down 892 tonnes or -18.6% lower for Q2 to 3,893 tonnes and 1,656 tonnes or -29.8% under the same quarter last year (which were already at lower levels), and butts were reduced 310 tonnes or -13.6% under the previous quarter to 1,975 tonnes and 423 tonnes or -17.6% under higher quantities last year.
