Record high prices for catfish feed and fuel, coupled with significantly lower live fish prices, are having a significant impact on the financial stability of the U.S. farm-raised catfish industry. In an effort to assist farmers in making informed decisions concerning adjustments to farming operations, Mississippi State University’s National Warmwater Aquaculture Center and Department of Agricultural Economics will publish a series of articles on this subject.
Perhaps the most significant factor affecting the profitability of catfish farming is the dramatic increase in feed prices over the last six months. The first article in this series will therefore focus on factors affecting feed prices. Insights will be provided into the global economic situation for the major catfish feed ingredients – corn and soybeans – as well as future pricing patterns which can be helpful in understanding how catfish feed prices will react. Subsequent articles will discuss the impact of the Farm Bill on catfish production and methods to decrease production costs.
PDF version of the first article sent to catfish producers.
Authors are John Anderson, Terry Hanson, and Jimmy Avery.
