February 27, 2007

Brazil's chicken export volume down 2.2 percent on-year in January

Brazil's January chicken export volume declined 2.2 percent on the year to 209,049 tonnes, the Brazilian Association of Chicken Exporters, or ABEF, said Monday (Feb 26).

ABEF said in a press release that demand reduction was due to a higher number of early purchases in December from Brazil's main chicken import markets.

Of the total, Brazil shipped 124,035 tonnes of chicken cutlets, down 7 percent from January 2006 figures. Whole birds declined 0.8 percent on the year to 72,541 tonnes in January. Processed chicken meats continue to register substantial gains, rising 74 percent in January with export volume of 12,472 tonnes.

The Middle East was Brazil's top market for chicken exports in January, up 22.1 percent to 64,905 tonnes. Asia was the no. 2 market, declining 25 percent to 52,305 tonnes.

Asian and South American markets represented the biggest drop in chicken exports last month in terms of percentage loss. All other markets registered gains.

Markets in the European Union were in a distant third at 34,523 tonnes in January, up 31.5 percent on the year.

Brazil expects to ship 2.85 million tonnes of chicken to world markets in 2007, according to ABEF.

Brazil is the world's leading chicken meat exporter.