WASHINGTON – Total supplies of meat and poultry in cold storage were down compared to a year ago, but higher compared to March, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported.

Total red-meat supplies in freezers on April 30 were up slightly compared to March figures but down 18 percent from 2013. Total pounds of beef in freezers slipped 1 percent from the previous month and declined 21 percent from last year. Frozen-pork supplies gained 1 percent from the previous month but dropped 17 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies climbed 4 percent from last month and jumped 47 percent from last year.


Total frozen-poultry supplies in cold storage on April 30 were up 3 percent compared to March but down 16 percent from the comparable year-ago period, NASS reported. Total stocks of chicken declined 2 percent from the previous month and retreated 15 percent from a year ago. Total pounds of turkey in freezers advanced 12 percent from last month but dropped 18 percent from April 30, 2013.