Total red meat and poultry stocks in refrigerated warehouses on March 31 were down compared to February, according to the US Department of Agriculture's Cold Storage report.
Total red-meat supplies in freezers on March 31 declined 8 percent from February and 14 percent from 2013. Total pounds of beef in cold storage eased 1 percent compared to February but dropped 21 percent from a year ago, USDA reported. Frozen pork supplies dropped 12 percent from the previous month and 11 percent from 2013. Stocks of pork bellies declined 9 percent compared to February but jumped 55 percent compared to last year.
Total frozen poultry supplies on March 31 slipped 7 percent compared to February and dropped 10 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken declined 14 percent from the previous month and 6 percent compared to a year ago. Total pounds of turkey in freezers advanced 8 percent from last month but declined 16 percent from the comparable year ago period.
