Pork Processors Increase Capacity
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The 10 largest pork processors increased pork production capacity 3.7 percent this year from 2003, helping absorb continually larger and record-large slaughter, according to economists Steve Meyer and Len Steiner, reported Feedstuffs.
Eight of the top ten increased individual capacity, one remained unchanged and one decreased capacity, they said, with Excel Corp. increasing by the largest number of head and Hatfield Quality Meats increasing by the largest percentage.
According to Feedstuffs, most of the increase has been due to improvements in equipment and processing methods and, in some cases, refinements in hazard analysis and critical control points programs, they said. Only Hatfield's expansion was due to plant additions, they said.
Expansion at Smithfield Foods Inc. was due to the acquisition of Farmland Foods but did not involve plant additions.
A complete list of all plants with a capacity of 250 head or more per day will be published this fall, they said.
Meyer is head of Paragon Economics in Adel, Iowa, and Steiner is president of Steiner Consulting Group in Manchester, N.H. Their top-10 list appeared in one of their recent Daily Livestock Reports.
Source: National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) - 28th September 2004