July 23, 2012

 

US poultry exports rise by 13% from January to May 2012

 

 

US poultry exports have risen by 13% for the January - May period of 2012, reaching 1.66 million tonnes, as compared to the same period of 2011.

 

Export value for the period climbed 24% to US$2.22 billion, according to trade data released recently by the Foreign Agricultural Service.

 

For the second consecutive month, quantity and value of poultry meat exports set on-year records.

 

Poultry exports for May reached 336,387 tonnes valued at US$460 million, up 5% and 13%, respectively, from the May 2011. Export value for the month was the highest ever.

 

May exports of broiler meat (excluding chicken paws) totalled 271,883 tonnes, up 6% from May 2011. Export value reached US$353.8 million, up 17% over year.

 

For January through May, cumulative exports of broiler meat (excluding paws) rose by 13% to 1.33 million tonnes, while value reached US$1.68 billion, up 28% from the same period in 2011, both setting on-year records.

 

Broiler meat shipments to Mexico for the period grew by 18% over 2011 to 217,062 tonnes, while exports to Russia increased by 138% to 111,333 tonnes. Exports to Cuba hit 64,367 tonnes, up 267% on year, while shipments to Canada were 63,712 tonnes, up 19%.

 

Exports to other important markets included Angola, 62,445 tonnes, up 30%; Taiwan, 60,581 tonnes, up 17 %; Hong Kong, 59,279 tonnes, down 34%; Iraq, 53,558 tonnes, down 11%; Kazakhstan, 43,504 tonnes, up almost eight-fold on year; and China, 34,108 tonnes, up 64%.

 

Exports of US chicken paws in May were 32,319 tonnes valued at US$44.2 million, up 9% and 2% compared to May 2011. Cumulative paw exports for the first five months reached 163,518 tonnes, up 20% on year. Export value set a year record at US$219.8 million, up 9%.

 

Of total paw shipments, 81% were shipped to Hong Kong, and 17% were shipped to mainland China.

 

Total January-May broiler exports (including paws) this year set on-year records in both volume and value, with an export quantity of 1.5 million tonnes valued at US$1.9 billion, up 14% and 26%, respectively.

 

Of the total, 43% was shipped to the top five markets - Mexico, Hong Kong, Russia, Cuba, and Canada.

 

May exports of US turkey meat declined to 27,989 tonnes, down 5% from the same month in 2011. Even so, export value set a record for the month of May at US$52.3 million, up 4% from May 2011.

 

Cumulative January-May turkey exports reached 139,183 tonnes, up 11%, with a value of US$267.6 million, an increase of 23% from the same period in 2011. Both quantity and export value set on-year records.

 

Exports to Mexico, the top market for US turkey, were 75,956 tonnes valued at US$156.7 million, up 6% and 14%, respectively. Shipments to China, the second most important market for US turkey, dropped by 20% to 14,931 tonnes, while export value reached US$24.4 million, up 21%.

 

Five markets accounted for 79% of total US turkey meat exports - Mexico, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Canada, with Mexico alone accounting for 55%.

 

For table eggs, export quantity for May 2012 was 10.2 million dozen valued at US$8.6 million, up 21.7% and 5.6%, respectively, thanks largely to increased shipments to Hong Kong and the U.A.E.

 

January-May table egg exports reached 39.7 million dozen valued at US$35.6 million, up 28% and 26% on year, respectively. The top five markets of Hong Kong, Canada, the U.A.E., the Bahamas, and Netherlands Antilles accounted for 81% of total exports.

 

For processed egg products, May exports were US$12.6 million, up 4% from May 2011. While export value to Japan, which is normally the top market for US processed eggs, decreased by 43% to US$3.9 million, exports to the EU increased by 116% to US$4.6 million, largely a factor of the shortage of breaking stock in the EU.

 

The cumulative value of egg products exports for January through May were US$59.1 million, up 19%. Exports to the EU increased by 141% to US$23 million, accounting for 39% of US total exports, while shipments to Japan decreased by 27% to US$18.1 million, accounting for 31% of the total.

 

Total egg exports (table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalents) for the first five months of this year were 99.3 million dozen, up 6% from the same period of last year, while export value hit US$94.7 million, up 22% over year. Both export quantity and export value set on-year records.