March 5, 2018

 

US poultry sector recovers from AI outbreak; 2017 export value gain highest since 2013

 

 

US poultry and egg export value increased 10.5% in 2017, the biggest gain since 2013, according to a new analysis of federal data by the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC).

 

"The results reflect the industry's recovery from the devastating effects of an avian influenza outbreak three years ago", USAPEEC said.

 

Chicken, turkey, table-egg, and egg-product categories all showed gains in exports last year.

 

The value of US poultry and egg exports declined after the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in the US in 2014 and 2015. Export value fell 25.8% in 2015 alone. The crisis cost the US industry more than $4 billion, the worst revenue loss in the industry's history.

 

Nationwide import bans imposed by many countries on US product have nearly all been lifted since then, except for China.

 

"The good news is that, knock on wood, the US has not had an avian influenza incident for nearly a year, and our industry has made a remarkable recovery, stepping up biosecurity and recovering nearly every lost market", USAPEEC President James Sumner said. "The only major market remaining closed is China, and we suspect the reason is more political in nature than it is science-based."

 

The export value of poultry meat, including chicken, turkey and duck, rose 9.8% in 2017 to $4.26 billion compared with 2016. Volume increased 3.1% to 3,716,360 tonnes.

 

Egg export value

 

The value of egg exports, including table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalent, jumped 22.7% to $248.9 million from 2016. Volume soared 27.3% to 263.2 million dozen. According to EU data, the US was the second-largest exporter of eggs, after Turkey, last year.

 

Individual product categories all showed increases:

 

Broiler meat-Export value rose 11.9% to $3.421 billion. Export volume grew 2.9% to 3,263,675 tonnes.

 

Turkey-Export value rose 2.4% to $609.8 million. Export volume increased 9.3% to 282,080 tonnes.

 

Table eggs-Export value rose 4.9% to $129.8 million. Export volume increased 1.7% to 125.4 million dozen.

 

Egg products-Export value jumped 50.7% to $119.2 million.

 

Top markets

 

The top markets in 2017 for US broiler exports were Mexico, with 18.4% of volume, followed by Hong Kong at 9.7%, and Cuba at 6.3%.

 

Mexico was also the top market for turkey, with 61.9% of US exports, followed by Hong Kong with 4.8%.

 

Hong Kong was the top market for US table eggs, with 30.2% of exports, followed by Canada at 24.4% and Mexico at 12.1%.

 

Japan was the leading market for US egg-product exports, with 36.1% of volume, followed by South Korea at 14% and Mexico at 11.5%.