Meanwhile, US egg exports through the third quarter also set new records, fuelled by increased demand from Mexico and the European Union, reports the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC).

Exports of US poultry meat for January through September reached 3.04 million metric tons valued at $4.032 billion, up six and 14 per cent, respectively, from the same period in 2011. Following are highlights:

Broilers

Cumulative exports of broiler meat (excluding chicken paws) through the third quarter hit 2.4 million tons valued at $3.1 billion, up six and 18 per cent, respectively, setting year-on-year records.

The top markets for US chicken were Mexico, 408,978 tons, up 21 per cent; Russia, 206,923 tons; up 59 per cent; Canada, 127,790 tons, up 23 per cent; Angola, 123,135 tons, up 3 per cent; and Cuba, 112,122 tons, up 82 per cent.

Exports to other important markets were Iraq (including transshipments via Turkey) 99,005 tons, up slightly; Taiwan, 98,669 tons, up 26 per cent; Hong Kong, 85,245 tons, down 54 per cent; Kazakhstan, 74,095 tons, up almost four-fold; and China, 65,279 tons, up 43 per cent.

September exports of broiler meat (excluding paws) were 279,279 tons, down three per cent from the same month last year, while export value reached $355.1 million, up four per cent. The decline is largely because of decreased shipments for the month to Hong Kong, Russia and Angola.

Chicken paws

Cumulative paw exports through the third quarter were 277,144 tons, an increase of five per cent, while export value was $350.3 million, down nine per cent. Of the total paw shipments, 62 per cent were shipped to Hong Kong, and 36 per cent were destined for mainland China.

Exports of paws for the month of September were 31,023 tons, up two per cent from September 2011, while export value was $35.2 million, down 17 per cent year on year. Shipments to Hong Kong decreased by 70 per cent to 8,275 tons, while exports to mainland China increased by more than eight-fold to 21,719 tons.

Total broiler meat (including paws) exports for January through September reached 2.7 million tons valued at $3.4 billion, up 6 and 14 per cent from the same period of 2011, respectively (Figure 1). Export value set a new record, while export quantity was second-highest on record. Five markets accounted for 43 per cent of the total - Mexico, Hong Kong, Russia, China, and Canada.

Figure 1. US broiler (including paws) exports in January-September since 1990
(Source: USDA/FAS GATS database)

Turkeys

Cumulative turkey exports through the third quarter reached 263,487 tons valued at $489.4 million, up 15 per cent in both volume and value (Figure 2). Export quantity and export value set year-on-year records.

Exports to Mexico, the top US turkey market, hit 138,006 tons valued at $271 million, up eight and six per cent year-on-year, respectively. Shipments to China, the second most important market, increased by 10 per cent to 33,561 tons, while export value reached $52.2 million, up 28 per cent.

Of the total, 77 per cent went to the top five markets - Mexico, China, Canada, Philippines and Hong Kong, with Mexico alone accounting for 52 per cent.

Turkey shipments for the month of September exports reached 33,383 tons, valued at $58.9 million, up 25 and 12 per cent, respectively, from September 2011, thanks largely to increased shipments to China, Philippines, Peru, Benin, Mexico, Canada and Taiwan.

Figure 2. US turkey exports in January-September since 1990
(Source: USDA/FAS GATS database)

Table eggs

Cumulative exports of table eggs for the first three quarters of 2012 were 85.4 million dozen valued at $78.6 million, up 44 and 48 per cent year on year, respectively. Of the total shipments, the top five export markets - Hong Kong, Canada, Mexico, the UAE and the EU - accounted for 87 per cent of the quantity.

September monthly table egg exports were 17.8 million dozen valued at $18.57 million, up 125 and 163 per cent year over year, respectively, thanks largely to increased shipments to Mexico, the EU, Canada and Hong Kong.

Processed egg products

Cumulative exports of egg products through the third quarter were $106.3 million, up 16 per cent year on year. Shipments to the EU hit nearly $35 million, more than double from the same period a year earlier. Exports to Japan decreased by 30 per cent to $34.1 million, accounting for 32 per cent of US total exports worldwide. Export value to South Korea decreased 14 per cent year-on-year, export value to Mexico and Canada increased by 398 and 13 per cent, respectively.

For egg products, September exports were $12.9 million, up five per cent from September 2011. While export value to Japan, the top export market for US egg products, decreased by 43 per cent to $4.5 million, exports to Mexico jumped to $3 million, as compared to $0.2 million in the same month in 2011. Also, exports to the EU and Canada increased significantly.

Total egg exports (table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalents) through the third quarter were 195.7 million dozen, up 17 per cent from the same period of last year, while export value hit $184.9 million, up 28 per cent (Figure 3). Both export quantity and export value set year-on-year records.

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