May 22, 2007

Argentina's poultry exports see double digit increase

Argentina's poultry exports rose 17 percent on-year to 32,234 tonnes the first quarter of 2007, according to Argentine food quality and safety authority SENASA.

Export revenue from Argentina's poultry products was up 25 percent the same period, reaching US$38.2 million.

Revenue from fresh poultry meat, which included that for whole poultry, breasts and thighs increased 25 percent to US$25.3 million whereas tonnage increased 18 percent to 20,071 tonnes.

Almost one third of Argentina's fresh poultry is sent to Chile. The rest were sent to South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Congo and Germany.

The exports of poultry by-products increased 14 percent to 11,030 tonnes and rose  27 percent by value to US$9.7 million. The main importers of Argentine poultry by-products were China and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, processed chicken export rose by 21 percent to 1,133 tonnes and value rose by 20 percent to US$3.2 million, with Germany, the main importer, taking up half of the production while the Netherlands takes up nearly a quarter.