December 26, 2006

 

Bilateral poultry trade benefits both China and the US
 

 

Since China opened its economy in the 1990s, US imports of poultry into China has been increasing every year and China has become one of the US's largest overseas markets.

 

The poultry trade between the two countries have long been lop-sided.  

 

China imports 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes of poultry products every year, with 400,000 tonnes or 70 percent to 80 percent from the US.

 

US FDA's new export amendments on China's cooked poultry products came into effect on May 24th, allowing China's poultry products to enter America's market for the first time.

 

The US is the biggest egg producer in the world, producing 17 million tonnes of poultry meat and 77 billion eggs. At the same time it is the top poultry products consumer country, with 50 kilogrammes per capita every year, according to Shen Guohua, vice president of American Poultry and Egg Export Association.

 

US consumers are mindful of food safety. There are also glaring differences between the consumer habits of both countries. US consumers favour chicken breast meat while China consumers prefer chicken leg, chicken foot and chicken wing.

 

Although poultry production in China has been increasing continually, its supply is still significantly behind soaring demand. China's per capita consumption of poultry has reached 10 kilogrammes and is still increasing.

 

However, a substantial portion of Chinese consumption is in chicken feet, chicken wing and chicken drumstick.

 

It would be impossible for China's poultry industry to produce chickens specifically to cater to these demands. Thus, it became a matter of course that poultry products would be imported to satisfy demand, Shen said.

 

For many years, the chicken products from America and Brazil plugged the supply gap for China, according to Shen.

 

American Poultry and Egg Export Association and the US poultry industry have worked closely with China's General Administration of Quality, Inspection and Quarantine, and their local animal, plant Inspection and Quarantitine Agency to assure America's poultry products pass the scrutiny of China's certification standards.