US poultry exports, including chicken eggs and related egg and poultry products, exceeded US$4 bln for the first time in 2007, says the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
In 2007, US broiler meat exports reached a record in both quantity and value, totalling 2.6 mln mt, which is an increase of 10% over 2006. Export value increased by 48% to a total of US$2.74 bln.
Russia was again the top market for US broiler exports, with a strong demand was seen from China, which consequently set the tone for a record export year for US processors. “The strength of demand from China was the biggest surprise for our industry last year,” said USAPEEC President Jim Sumner.
US broiler meat exports to China totalled a volume of 239,143 tonnes, which is a 24% increase over 2006, with a value of $317.8 mln, an 89% increase over last year.
US broiler meat exports to the top three importing countries – Russia, China and Mexico – totalled 1.3 mln tonnes, and accounted for a combined share of 51% of total export volume. The combined export value to these three countries of US$1.3 bln was 47% of total broiler meat export value.