February 14, 2014

 

 

In 2013, US poultry and egg exports reached a new record in value of US$5.862 billion, up 3% over 2012, according to year-end trade data released recently by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.

 

Furthermore, 2013 was a record-setting year for exports of US chicken and turkey. Combined export value climbed to US$5.527 billion, 1.3% ahead of 2012, while export quantity was 4.1 million tonnes, up 1%.

 

Meanwhile, total US egg exports last year (table eggs plus processed egg products in shell-egg equivalents) reached new records of 349 million dozen, an increase of 27%, with a value of US$335.4 million, also up 27% from 2012.

 

For the first time, Mexico was the top US chicken, turkey and egg exports, with combined exports reaching nearly US$1.3 billion, up 16.7%.

 

Exports of US broiler meat (excluding chicken feet) for 2013 also set records in quantity and value –3.3 million tonnes valued at US$4.3 billion, up 1% and 2%, respectively.

 

US broiler meat top markets were Mexico, up 14% to 637,049 tonnes; Russia, up 4% to 276,127 tonnes; Angola, up 14% to 206,868 tonnes; and Canada, down 2% to 168,793 tonnes.

 

Exports to other important markets were Iraq, 164,707 tonnes, up 24%; Cuba, 138,933 tonnes, down 8%; China, 131,133 tonnes, up 38%, Taiwan, 96,233 tonnes, down 19%; Georgia, 86,280 tonnes, up 4%; and Guatemala, 78,777 tonnes, up 12%.

 

Exports of chicken paws in 2013 reached 299,833 tonnes, a decrease of 18% from the previous year, while export value was US$372.6 million, down 17%. Of total paw shipments, 50% went to China, up 3.8% from 2012, and 34% went to Hong Kong, down 47%.

 

Total broiler meat (including paws) exports in 2013 were 3.6 million tonnes valued at US$4.6 billion, 43% of which went to the top five markets of Mexico, China, Russia, Angola, and Hong Kong.

 

Although exports of US turkey last year slipped by 5% to 343,814 tonnes, value rocketed to a record of US$687 million, up by 1% over 2012, according to FAS statistics.

 

For more than two decades, Mexico remains the top destination for US turkey. Shipments to Mexico last year dipped by 1% to 185,898 tonnes, while value rose by 2% to US$379.6 million. Exports to second-leading market China, meanwhile, fell by 6% to 43,240 tonnes, while value inched up by 1% to US$71.1 million.

 

The top five markets of US turkey exports were Mexico, China, Canada, the Philippines and Benin which accounted for 75% of the total, with Mexico alone accounting for 54%.

 

In 2013, exports of US table eggs were an all-time high at 187.93 million dozen valued at US$184.24 million, up 47.7% and 50.4% from 2012, respectively - thanks largely to increased shipments to Mexico, Canada, Hong Kong, and Trinidad and Tobago.

 

The top markets for US table eggs in 2013 were Mexico, 62.2 million dozen, up from 17 million dozen in 2012; Hong Kong, 51.4 million dozen, up 11%; Canada, 39.3 million dozen, up 50%; the UAE, 11.4 million dozen, down 11%; the EU, 8.6 million dozen, down 2%.

 

The year 2013 was also a record year for exports of US processed egg products, rising 7% over 2012 to US$151.2 million. Exports to top market Japan increased by 11% to US$50.2 million, accounting for 33% of the US total export value of egg products.

 

Exports to Mexico, meanwhile, rose by 129% to US$37.7 million, while export value to the EU decreased by 60% to US$15.5 million. Exports to Canada increased 50% to US$14.4 million, while exports to Hong Kong were up 22% to US$3.9 million.