US poultry, egg exports set records in 2011

For US poultry and egg exports, 2011 was a record-breaking year, with significant gains in both quantity and value across the board, according to trade data released last week by the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Some highlights:
• Combined export value of US poultry and eggs set a new record in 2011 of $5.1 billion, a 17% increase over 2010.
• Total US poultry export value last year also established a new record, $4.91 billion, 17% ahead of 2010.
• Total US poultry export quantity of more than 3.9 million metric tons was the second-highest ever, up nearly 6%, trailing only the record year of 2008.
• Exports of US broiler meat in 2011 – excluding chicken paws – set records in both quantity and value, reaching 3.2 million tons valued at $3.6 billion, up from 2010 by 3% and 17%, respectively.
• US turkey exports last year also registered record highs of 319,015 tons valued at $599.5 million, up 21% and 29%, respectively.
• Total US egg exports (table eggs, plus processed egg products calculated as shell-egg equivalents) last year reached 220.5 million dozen, up 7%, the second-highest on record.
• Value of US egg exports hit $194.7 million, up 12%, setting a new record high.
• Exports of chicken paws in 2011 reached 346,048 metric tons, an increase of 13% from the previous year. Export value set a new record at $502.1 million, up 8%.

“It’s obvious from the data that exports are growing in importance for the US poultry and egg industry,” said Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC). “We expect this growth trend will continue well into the future as our industry becomes more price-competitive, as USAPEEC continues to develop new markets for our products, and as economies around the world, particularly in emerging markets, continue to grow.”

Broilers
Although US broiler meat shipments in 2011 to several key markets, Russia, Ukraine and Cuba included, were down significantly, increased exports to other destinations, such as Hong Kong, Korea, Iraq, Mexico, Angola, and Canada helped to drive the overall increase.

Shipments to Hong Kong increased 20% to 234,769 tons, while exports to Korea jumped 54% to 108,154 tons. Exports to Mexico rose by 4% to 457,574 tons, while shipments to Canada climbed 12% to 142,039 tons. Exports to Angola reached 164,007 tons, up 11%, while shipments to Iraq (including transshipments via Turkey) were 144,983 tons, up 15%.

Also, broiler shipments to other markets such as the U.A.E., China, Philippines, Haiti, Japan, Singapore, Jordan, Chile, Gabon, and Kazakhstan also increased significantly from the previous year. Of the total chicken paw exports, 90% were shipped to Hong Kong, up 28% from 2010, while 8% were shipped to China, down 41% from the previous year.
Total exports of US broilers (including paws) in 2011 were 3.5 million tons valued at $4.2 billion, up 4% and 16%, respectively. Of the total, 43% went to the top five markets of Hong Kong, Mexico, Russia, Angola, and Canada.

Figure 1 – US broiler (including paws) exports since 1990. Source: USDA/FAS GATS database.

Turkeys
Turkey exports to Mexico, the top market for US turkey, climbed to 180,996 tons, up 24%. Other key markets include China, 37,588 tons, up 12%; Hong Kong, 17,194 tons, up 53%; and Canada, 10,280 tons, up 7%.

Of the total US turkey meat exports, 79% went to the top five markets, with shipments to Mexico alone accounting for 57%.

Figure 2 – US turkey exports since 1990. Source: USDA/FAS GATS database.

Table Eggs
For table eggs, exports in 2011 were 82.8 million dozen valued at $77 million, up 12 and 28%, respectively, thanks largely to increased shipments to Hong Kong and Japan. Export value reached an all-time high.

Of total shipments, 86% were shipped to the top five export markets – Hong Kong, Canada, the U.A.E., Japan, and Netherlands Antilles.

Egg Products
Export value of US processed egg products in 2011 set a record at $117.7 million, up 4% from the previous year.

Shipments to Japan, the top export market for US egg products, rose by 55% to $62.3 million, accounting for 53% of the total global export value. Export value to the European Union declined by 40% to $20.405 million, while export value to Canada decreased 20% to $8.164 million. Export value to the top five markets totaled accounted for 84% of the total.

Figure 3 – US exports of table eggs and egg products (in shell-egg equivalents) since 1990. Source: USDA/FAS GATS database.

Source: USA Poultry & Egg Export Council