March 8, 2006

 

Argentina's January poultry exports up 50 percent year-on-year

 

 

Argentina's poultry exports rose 50 percent in January compared with the same month a year ago, the animal and plant inspection agency, Senasa, reported Tuesday.

 

Argentina exported 5,400 tonnes of fresh and processed poultry products in January, up from 3,584 tonnes the previous year. Revenue from poultry exports totalled almost US$7.8 million, up 77 percent from US$4.4 million a year earlier.

 

Chile, Angola and Venezuela were the top buyers of fresh poultry while Holland and Germany were the leading importers of processed poultry.

 

Argentina is a relatively minor player in the international poultry trade. However, Argentina's poultry industry has been growing quickly because of increased demand at home and abroad. Argentina is expected to produce a record 1.18 million tonnes of poultry in 2006, according to the US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS).

 

Domestic consumption will account for one million tonnes while exports will total 150,000 tonnes.

 

"This is a result of good profitability in the sector, very competitive broiler prices in the domestic market, and the opening of many new markets worldwide which look upon Argentina as an alternative supplier," the FAS said in a report.

 

The Argentine Poultry Processors Business Centre (CEPA), says exports could rise to 500,000 tonnes by 2010.

 

Rising exports have led companies to spend more than US$60 million in bird housing, processing facilities, grain storage capacity and feed mills, among other things, over the past year, the FAS has reported.

 

Argentina has competitive advantages over other exporters which include lower production, labour and energy costs.