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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #406854
Research Project: Improving Efficiency in Catfish Aquaculture

Location: Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit

Title: Trends for U.S. catfish and swai products in retail markets

Author
item SUN, LIANQUN - Mississippi State University
item ENGLE, CAROLE - Virginia Tech
item KUMAR, GANESH - Mississippi State University
item VAN SENTEN, JONATHAN - Virginia Tech

Submitted to: Aquaculture Economics & Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2022
Publication Date: 11/22/2022
Citation: Sun, L., Engle, C., Kumar, G., Van Senten, J. 2022. Trends for U.S. catfish and swai products in retail markets. Aquaculture Economics & Management. https://doi.org/10.1080/13657305.2022.2147250.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13657305.2022.2147250

Interpretive Summary: This scanner data based work elucidated the detailed nascent retail trends for U.S. catfish and swai products by evaluating weekly,store-based, AC Nielsen Scan Track data from September 2016 through August 2021. Results indicated an average annual growth rate of retail sales of 5.8% for U.S. catfish and 0.7% for swai. The South Central region had the greatest total retail sales for both U.S. catfish and swai products. Dallas/Fort Worth had the greatest total retail seafood sales for U.S. catfish products, followed by Chicago and St. Louis. Los Angeles was the most important city for retail swai sales. Swai products were characteristically priced lower than U.S. catfish products across all regions, cities, and study years, especially for larger packs. The study revealed the shift to increase at-home consumption of these two products during the pandemic years that have been reported for other seafood products.

Technical Abstract: Farm-raised catfish is the largest U.S. aquaculture industry. Over the years, the ingenuity of catfish processors has made catfish products available all over the U.S. including globally competitive retail marketplaces. U.S catfish products face stiff competition from Vietnamese swai products in these diverse markets. This work elucidates the detailed nascent retail trends for U.S. catfish and swai products by evaluating weekly,store-based, AC Nielsen Scan Track data from September 2016through August 2021. The five-year analysis compares retail sales of U.S. catfish and swai products across national,regional, and city levels while providing key trends in product forms, quantities sold, promotional patterns, and price information. Results indicated an average annual growth rate of retail sales of 5.8% for U.S. catfish and 0.7% for swai. The South Central region had the greatest total retail sales for both U.S. catfish and swai products. Dallas/Fort Worth had the greatest total retail seafood sales for U.S. catfish products, followed by Chicago and St. Louis. Los Angeles was the most important city for retail swai sales. The 454-g U.S. catfish packs had a share of 77 and 68% in terms of volume and revenue while the same pack for swai had 48 and 28% volume and revenue shares. Frozen and refrigerated products dominated sales for both products in 2021. Swai products were characteristically priced lower than U.S. catfish products across all regions, cities, and study years, especially for larger packs. The study revealed the shift to increase at-home consumption of these two products during the pandemic years that have been reported for other seafood products.