April 20, 2011
 

US poultry exports increase in February

US poultry meat exports in February rose by more than 15% in volume and about 18% in value over the same month last year, according to trade data from the Foreign Agricultural Service and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.

Export quantity of all poultry meat in February reached 290,261 tonnes, with a value of US$338.7 million.

Shipments to Mexico rose by 11% to 37,678 tonnes, while exports to Hong Kong reached 17,809 tonnes, up 10%. February exports to Taiwan hit 14,579 tonnes, up 44%, while shipments to South Korea jumped to 10,151 tonnes, up 97% on year. Exports to Iraq and Russia reached 12,084 and 11,747 tonnes, up 23 and 12%, respectively.

"Exports represent a significant share of the poultry industry's production in Georgia and the US," said Mike Giles, President of the Gainesville-based Georgia Poultry Federation. "About 20% of the poultry produced in the US is exported, and Georgia benefits from its strategic location near the port of Savannah, the nation's leading port for exporting chicken. Exports are vital to the industry today, and as the world's population and economy grow, they represent one of the greatest potential opportunities for expansion in the future."

Helping the total for February were significantly stronger shipments to smaller markets, such as the Philippines, the UAE., the Republic of Georgia, Canada, Haiti, Singapore, Chile, Jamaica, Ghana, and Japan.

Cumulative exports of egg products for the first two months of 2011 were 5,602 tonnes at US$15.85 million, down 17 and 18% on year.

Total egg exports (table eggs plus egg products in shell-egg equivalents) for the first two months this year were 31.423 million dozen, up 8%, while export value was US$22.489 million, down 13% year over year.