May 14, 2007

 

China exports fewer live pigs and poultry for the first quarter

 

 

While frozen chicken exports was up 6.6 percent for the first quarter, the number of poultry was down 23.6 percent on year, according to China's custom figures.

 

Frozen chicken exports for the first quarter was up 6.6 percent by tonnage and 25 percent by value.

 

As for poultry, the number of poultry exported during the first quarter was down 23.6 percent while value was down 6.6 percent. Exports reached 4.35 million heads valued at US$8.1 million. Most of China's poultry exports go to Hong Kong.

 

While China's poultry exports fell 50 percent to 19,260 heads in 2004, it rose 30 percent to 25,020 heads by 2005. In 2006, it fell again to 18,990 heads, a 24-percent drop.

 

For pork, pig exports and frozen pork exports fell while canned pork exports grew.

 

For pig exports, first quarter exports reached 370,000 heads valued at US$52.621 million, down 11.0 percent and 2.9 percent respectively year on year.

 

Pork exports fell 10.4 percent in 2005 after rising 4.7 percent in 2004. In 2006, exports fell a slight 0.7 percent

 

Canned pork exports fared better in terms of growth than pork exports.

 

For the quarter, canned pork exports were up 12.8 percent to 13,295 tonnes while value went up 22.6 percent to US$23.3 million.

 

Canned pork exports rose 10.5 percent in 2006 to 57,505 tonnes and rose 14 percent in value to US$95.6 million. This is compared to a 3.8 percent drop by volume in 2005 and a 3.6 percent rise in 2004.

 

Frozen pork exports for the first quarter was down 22.5 percent on-year while value went down 9.4 percent. Export during the period reached 40,000 tonnes valued at US$68.6 million.

 

In 2006, frozen pork exports rose 7.3 percent to 270,000 tonnes while values dropped 1.3 percent to US$401 million.

 

In 2005, frozen pork exports was down 14 percent while in 2004, it was up by 36.4 percent.