December 19, 2007

Brazil November chicken exports up 5 percent

Brazil's chicken exports totaled 299,000 tonnes in November, up 5 percent compared to the same period last year, according to figures released Tuesday by the Brazilian Poultry Exporters' Association, or Abef.

From January to November, the volume of chicken exported was 2.9 million tonnes, up 20 percent compared to November 2006.

Chicken exports are expected to reach a record 3.2 million tonnes by the end of 2007 versus 2.7 million in 2006, according to Abef.

The main destination for Brazilian chicken was the Middle East, which imported 894,000 tonnes between January and November, up 34 percent from the year ago period.

Brazil exported 161,000 tonnes of chicken cutlets in November, down almost 1 percent on the same period in 2006.

In addition, Brazil shipped 1.6 million tonnes of chicken cutlets between January and November, up 11 percent compared to last year, according to Abef.

Whole chicken exports dipped 2.8 percent to 102,000 tonnes in November, compared to the same period of 2006. Overall, 1 million tonnes were exported in the first 11 months of 2007, up 25 percent versus the same period a year ago.

Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture has earmarked 130 million reals (US$72 million) for animal health actions in 2008, a number Abef said was "insufficient".

Brazil is the world's No. 1 chicken exporter.