Frozen food stocks in refrigerated warehouses on July 31, 1997, were greater than year earlier levels for butter, potatoes, concentrated orange juice, meat, fruit, and chicken. Cooler stocks of pears, peanuts, apples, and natural cheese were higher than a year earlier.

Total red meat supplies in freezers decreased 2 percent from June, but were up 12 percent from July 1996. Frozen pork stocks were 4 percent below last month, but were up 18 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 36 percent from last month, but were 18 percent above a year ago.

Total frozen poultry supplies showed a slight decrease from last month, but were 3 percent above last year's level. Total stocks of chicken decreased 7 percent during the month, but were 6 percent above 1996. Total pounds of turkey in freezers increased 7 percent from last month, but were down 1 percent from last year.

Public cooler occupancy was at 49 percent of capacity, up 1 point from a year ago. Public freezer occupancy at 65 percent was up 2 points from last month and up 4 points from the year earlier level.

The U.S. Agriculture Department reported stocks in cold storage on July 31, 1997, with comparisons as follows, in thousand pounds:

			7/31/96 6/30/97 	7/31/97 
Frozen Beef
 Boneless		263,018 281,485		273,047
 Beef Cuts 		 28,118  24,015		 28,216
Total Frozen Beef	291,136 305,500		301,263
 (Gov't owned)		  6,250   2,170		  2,570

Frozen Pork
 Picnics, bone-in	  6,536   7,937		  9,166
 Hams, total		 78,914  99,714		106,149
  Bone-in		 50,767  53,471		 58,705
  Boneless		 28,147  46,243		 47,444
 Bellies		 28,533  52,274		 33,642
 Loins, total		 12,284  19,868		 17,362
  Bone-in		  6,304   8,963		  9,567
  Boneless		  5,980  10,905		  7,795
 Ribs			 35,322  30,858		 29,932
 Butts			  3,979   6,624		  4,845
 Trimmings		 27,747  45,061		 46,324
 Other			 81,192  88,859		 78,298
 Variety Meats		 33,028  31,607		 44,238
 Unclassified 		 15,125  15,484		 12,387
Total			322,660 398,286		382,343
 (Gov't owned)		  1,162     870		    536

Other
 Veal			  5,587   4,478		  5,049
 Lamb and Mutton 	 13,164  16,594		 18,803
Total Other		 18,751  21,072		 23,852

Canned
 Canned Hams		  9,649	  8,665		  9,696
 Other Canned Meats 	    524   1,367		  1,572
Total Canned 		 10,173  10,032		 11,268
Total Meats		642,720	734,890         718,726

Frozen Poultry
Chickens
 Broilers(whole) 	 36,916	 31,062		 26,662
 Hens		 	 14,611	  8,316		 10,250
 Other Chicken		571,980	672,280		623,361
Total Chicken		623,507	711,658		660,273
Turkeys
 Whole			489,279	402,334		437,826
 Other 			228,894 265,387 	276,497
Total Turkeys		718,173	667,721		714,323
 Ducks		  	  1,713	  4,305		  2,795
Frozen Poultry
Total	      	      1,343,393 1,383,684     1,377,391

August 20, 1997 NASS, USDA

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