December 5, 2007

US forecasts production increases in poultry and eggs

USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) projected a rise in broiler, turkey and egg production for 2008.

US turkey production was up by 4.9 percent in the third quarter of 2007 from the same period last year.

ERS attributed the increase in production to a higher number of birds slaughtered - up 3.2 percent and an increase in average liveweight at slaughter to 27.9 pounds.

For 2008, turkey meat production is forecast at 5.94billion pounds due to a build up of turkey stocks in the last two quarters of 2007.

Broiler meat production is estimated to increase by 3.7 percent from the same period in 2006 in the final quarter of 2007 to 9.125b pounds.

Broiler production is set to increase in 2008 with domestic per capita consumption at 86.8 pounds.

At the end of this year, wholesale egg prices are forecast to average between US$1.18 and US$1.22 per dozen - representing about US$0.30 cents per dozen higher than in the last quarter of 2006.

Egg prices for 2008 are expected to average between US$0.90 and US$0.96 per dozen.