The latest US Cold Storage numbers reported pork stocks at 423.1 million pounds for February, up +3.9% or 15.9m pounds from January which was revised -0.7% lower from 410.2m to 407.3m pounds. Compared to a year earlier, the latest pork stocks were down -7.7% or 35.5m pounds lower as many pork categories fell below year-ago levels. Current year-to-date stocks fell 91.6m pounds or -9.9% compared to those recorded for Jan-through-Feb 2024.
Bellies in cold storage jumped 6.9m pounds in February but were 15.2m pounds under supplies recorded for last year and -28.4% or 35.9m pounds under last year-to-date. Total ham stocks rose 4.2m pounds on the month, with the bone-in variety rising 7.0m pounds and the boneless dropping 2.8m pounds, and overall were up 13.1m pounds compared to a year earlier which brought them +12.1% or 17.7m pounds over last YTD. Spare-ribs were up 3.9m pounds from previously reported, bringing them 475 thousand pounds under last year and 4.9m pounds or -2.8% under last YTD, while the category accounting for 'Other pork' increased 2.4m pounds for February which was 10.5m pounds under last year and down -23.1% or 22.5m pounds under last YTD. Pork butts were up 2.0m pounds from January supplies and up a modest 173 thousand pounds compared to a year earlier which brough them 245 thousand pounds or -0.6% under last YTD, while unclassified pork was up 514 thousand pounds on the month but down 11.0m pounds compared to last year and -24.4% or 22.6m pounds under last YTD. Total loins climbed 256 thousand pounds from stocks recorded for January, down 7.9m pounds under last year and 16.6m pounds or -19.6% under last YTD.
Variety meats dropped 2.3m pounds in February, bringing them 5.9m pounds under a year earlier and -21.5% or 11.3m pounds under last last-to-date. Trimmings declined 1.6m pounds from January stocks, up a modest 623 thousand pounds higher compared to last year and +2.1% or 2.0m pounds over last YTD. Bone-in picnics were down 442 thousand pounds, but up 1.5m pounds compared to year-ago stocks and +25.6% or 2.7m pounds over last YTD.