Brazilian poultry exports fall

The Brazilian poultry sector shipped 281,600 tonnes in February, 5% less than the 296,500 tonnes exported in the same period last year, the Brazilian Poultry Union (UBABEF) disclosed.

Apart from the volume shipped in February, revenues also dropped: in the month, shipments generated US$ 539.6 million, 8.2% less than the US$ 588.1 million of the same period in 2011.

According to UBABEF, Japan is using its stocks of the product and, last year, the country’s chicken purchases were above average. However, it was not just Japan that caused lower sales in February. Iran purchased less chicken as it is protecting its producers. Sales to the Iranians have dropped since August 2011.

In a press statement, UBABEF’s president, Francisco Turra, stated that the country’s sales dropped as there was a problem in certification: “There was also reduction in shipments to Kuwait, indirectly affected by a certification problem generated in Iraq, which is the destination for part of the exports from Kuwait.” Depreciation of the dollar in February also affected exports.

In the accumulated result for January and February however, sector exports are 3.1% greater than in the same period in 2011. In the first months of the year, exports reached 610,500 tonnes of chicken, 3.1% more than the 591,900 exported one year before. The volume exported grew, but revenues dropped 0.2% in the period: from US$ 1.176 billion in 2011 to US$ 1.174 billion this year.

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