GLOBAL POULTRY TRENDS - Americas Egg Exports More Than Double

While shell egg exports by the Americas have more than doubled between 2000 ans 2011, they represent only a small proportion of the world total, according to industry analyst, Terry Evans. The region does account for just over one-third of global dried egg exports, however.
calendar icon 18 March 2015
clock icon 12 minute read

Worldwide exports of eggs in shell more than doubled between 2000 and 2010 to exceed two million tonnes, but they then slipped back towards 1.8 million tonnes in 2011 (Table 1 and Figure 1).

The growth in trade has been primarily due to the movement of eggs from Europe and to a lesser extent Asia, as these two regions accounted for more than 92 per cent of global exports in 2011. The trends for regional imports of shell eggs (Table 1 and Figure 2) tell an almost identical story.

Table 1. Global exports and imports of shell eggs ('000 tonnes)
2000200620072008200920102011
Exports of hen eggs in shell:
Africa 6.2 5.9 3.7 5.7 6.6 11.4 7.4
Americas 93.0 102.0 128.9 114.2 109.8 114.9 126.6
Asia 204.1 287.6 386.4 514.7 539.4 536.8 552.8
Europe 640.7 835.1 894.8 1,037.5 1,105.6 1,353.3 1,118.9
Oceania 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.9 3.8 4.8 3.7
WORLD 944.8 1,231.6 1,418.8 1,674.1 1,765.1 2,021.2 1,809.4
Imports of hen eggs in shell:
Africa 25.7 48.0 51.0 50.2 46.1 54.4 63.4
Americas 66.3 67.6 62.3 74.1 67.2 66.2 66.7
Asia 235.8 284.8 369.8 430.9 464.4 498.4 558.6
Europe 557.5 802.1 983.4 1,024.1 1,047.8 1,060.0 990.6
Oceania 0.7 2.4 1.5 1.7 2.4 2.8 1.8
WORLD 886.0 1,204.8 1,468.0 1,581.0 1,627.9 1,681.8 1,681.2
Source: FAO
Global Poultry Trends 5m Publishing
Figure 1. Exports of hen eggs in shell ('000 tonnes)
Global Poultry Trends 5m Publishing
Figure 2. Imports of hen eggs in shell ('000 tonnes)

It is apparent from these trade tables that the global quantities exported and imported in a year frequently do not balance. The reasons for this were presented in the last report covering this region.

Unfortunately the FAO has yet to update the international trade figures presented in Tables 1 to 7, nevertheless, they have been included here for reference purposes.

Clearly, the Americas region is not a major exporter or importer of shell eggs, representing just seven per cent and around four per cent of the global total respectively (Tables 2 and 3).

Table 2. Hen egg exports in shell from countries in the Americas (tonnes)
Country2000200620072008200920102011
Argentina 30 2,542 2,141 1,417 1,486 1,080 1,051
Bahamas 0 41 27 28 0 0 0
Barbados 0 10 11 18 19 23 19
Bolivia 236 49 12 0 0 0 0
Brazil 4,394 14,226 16,488 9,559 10,035 13,930 14,170
Canada 2,072 2,059 3,469 2,187 1,920 2,566 2,360
Chile 551 312 634 324 31 53 23
Colombia 3,370 58 3,882 15,117 1,283 72 6
Costa Rica 499 1,875 488 876 1,237 1,021 2,096
Ecuador 5,866 165 187 38 0 254 0
El Salvador 9,569 2,378 2,471 2,508 2,097 736 94
Guatemala 688 313 253 103 247 74 120
Guyana 0 0 90 0 0 0 2
Honduras 99 222 317 129 502 570 274
Jamaica 0 0 0 20 21 0 0
Mexico 58 27 15 107 910 2,771 7,216
Nicaragua 98 0 0 0 0 0 0
Panama 578 1,308 1,596 1,416 1,181 1,082 974
Peru 187 2,268 2,445 3,150 3,236 4,419 4,077
Trinidad/Tobago 10 16 11 8 16 16 16
US 64,582 73,940 94,328 77,094 85,458 86,103 93,962
Uruguay 138 108 0 134 133 133 140
Venezuela Bol. Rep. 0 44 34 0 0 1 0
AMERICAS 93,025 101,961 128,899 114,233 109,812 114,906 126,607
WORLD 944,793 1,231,590 1,414,784 1,674,065 1,765,121 2,021,225 1,809,404
Source: FAO

Table 3. Hen egg imports in shell into countries in the Americas (tonnes)
Country2000200620072008200920102011
Antigua/Barbuda 0 73 134 197 197 13 25
Argentina 2,394 0 3 10 0 0 3
Aruba 80 123 140 0 1,062 1,023 1,029
Bahamas 24 377 377 557 869 1,334 1,126
Barbados 520 775 862 759 870 796 793
Belize 125 86 69 87 99 102 116
Bermuda 30 431 488 525 486 511 531
Bolivia 29 33 37 38 42 29 74
Brazil 25 247 282 369 169 122 165
Canada 23,286 21,894 20,058 24,933 27,696 24,904 23,199
Cayman Isl. 200 23 29 101 101 87 122
Chile 39 35 36 32 36 31 78
Colombia 1,298 145 333 133 37 108 159
Costa Rica 498 320 436 317 469 620 294
Cuba 5 0 143 0 0 0 0
Dominican Rep. 330 1,694 255 108 1,015 1,284 210
Ecuador 590 2,030 2,503 3,195 3,521 4,198 3,516
El Salvador 1,178 2,432 576 182 524 803 611
Grenada 0 6 0 0 32 5 3
Guatemala 294 1,595 900 197 1,359 1,597 1,281
Guyana 872 1,948 1,435 1,682 1,243 1,693 1,692
Haiti 9 189 280 455 588 467 524
Honduras 9,113 2,562 2,939 3,342 2,011 900 900
Jamaica 3,000 4,614 4,169 3,946 4,000 3,830 3,873
Mexico 9,495 13,685 8,804 5,513 7,594 7,330 11,463
Netherlands Antilles 70 104 431 500 351 294 -
Nicaragua 1,732 2,582 2,606 3,069 3,197 3,693 4,063
Panama 136 130 18 5 132 33 72
Paraguay 216 0 586 1,165 805 1,097 1,304
Peru 224 145 65 54 791 178 33
Saint Kitts/Nevis 22 28 18 11 43 1,870 1,870
Saint Lucia 18 12 7 8 36 45 45
Saint Pierre/Miquelon 0 3 5 3 8 6 2
Saint Vincent/Grenadines 0 20 48 11 11 24 4
Suriname 110 159 226 220 301 302 316
Trinidad/Tobago 2,765 3,156 3,285 2,989 3,203 2,801 2,882
US 3,576 3,719 3,354 3,396 2,830 3,441 4,047
Uruguay 59 52 51 39 28 28 191
Venezuela Bol. Rep. 3,935 2,172 6,332 15,909 1,322 553 74
AMERICAS 66,297 67,599 62,320 74,057 67,078 66,214 66,690
WORLD 886,023 1,204,805 1,468,005 1,580,962 1,627,866 1,681,751 1,681,176
- no figure
Source: FAO

Within the region, the United States is easily the leading exporter accounting for some three-quarters of the total. According to WASDE (World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates), the quantity of eggs (table, hatching and as a products) exported from the US in 2012 came close to 302 million dozen, rising to 372 million dozen in 2013.

The latest figure for 2014 shows an increase to 382 million dozen reflecting higher shipments to Canada and Mexico which have offset a decline in trade with Japan.

The estimate for 2015 currently stands at 375 million dozen. Major markets for US eggs include Mexico, Canada, Hong Kong and Trinidad and Tobago. Long-term forecasts do not indicate any great increase in this business.

Although Brazil is the second largest shell egg exporter in the region, the quantities involved are small representing less than one per cent of national production.

In recent years, sales have shown only little movement. Indeed, an estimate for 2013 of some 10,400 tonnes points to a cutback and is well below that of earlier years. While Venezuela is Brazil’s biggest customer, in the past year or so Brazilian exporters have been putting more effort into exporting eggs to the Middle East and in particular the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, these countries already being primary buyers of Brazilian chicken meat.

There are only two significant importers of shell eggs in the Americas – Canada and Mexico.

Imports into Canada are controlled via a tariff-rate quota which is the access level for imported eggs on the Canadian market under the World Trade Organisation’s international, trade obligations. The quantities imported between 2006 and 2011 ranged from around 20,000 tonnes a year to almost 28,000 tonnes. Latest figure for 2013 is in excess of 27,000 tonnes.

Traditionally, Mexico has imported only small quantities of shell eggs but, due to the impact of the avian influenza outbreaks on domestic supplies, the volumes have escalated sharply and in 2013 are considered to have exceeded 45,000 tonnes.

Dried Egg Trade

Sadly, the FAO data on trade in dried eggs does not include albumin. The total volume traded has changed little since 2007 (Tables 4 and 5 and Figures 3 and 4).

Table 4. Exports of dried egg* from countries in the Americas (tonnes)
Country2000200620072008200920102011
Argentina 130 2,359 2,725 2,998 2,148 2,595 4,352
Brazil 434 364 403 153 152 24 9
Canada 2,837 3,373 2,188 1,893 1,458 1,021 874
Chile 96 28 25 73 40 0 0
Colombia 0 0 0 4 0 1 0
El Salvador 17 0 0 0 0 0 0
Guatemala 1 0 3 0 0 0 0
Guyana 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Mexico 46 55 31 59 91 1 226
Peru 0 10 21 10 11 4 0
US 4,238 9,917 11,323 12,757 15,156 15,348 14,797
Uruguay 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
AMERICAS 7,799 16,106 16,719 17,947 19,057 19,006 20,259
WORLD 29,412 51,420 54,735 57,614 57,074 55,800 59,534
* The data do not include dried albumin
Source: FAO
Global Poultry Trends 5m Publishing
Figure 3. Exports of dried egg ('000 tonnes)

Of the global total exported in 2011, the Americas accounted for 34 per cent or 20,260 tonnes.

Within the region, the US with almost 15,000 tonnes and Argentina (4,400 tonnes) were the leaders in this field.

Most important customers for US products were Japan, (5,500 tonnes), Germany (2,400 tonnes), Canada, (1,500 tonnes), Mexico (1,300 tonnes) and Sweden (1,100 tonnes).

In 2013, exports of all forms of US dried egg amounted to some 18,200 tonnes. Denmark (866 tonnes), Austria (821 tonnes), and the Russian Federation (676 tonnes) were the leading buyers of Argentinian products in 2011. In 2013, Argentina’s dried egg exports amounted to almost 5,200 tonnes.

The quantities of dried egg imported into the Americas are small at around 4,500 tonnes a year (Table 5 and Figure 4), two-thirds of which are purchased roughly equally between Mexico and Canada.

Table 5. Imports of dried egg* into countries in the Americas (tonnes)
Country2000200620072008200920102011
Argentina 366 3 0 56 97 290 358
Bahamas 0 93 163 134 1 46 54
Barbados 0 4 0 0 0 0 0
Belize 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Bolivia 0 0 0 3 0 22 264
Brazil 65 14 5 0 0 0 0
Canada 1,280 651 891 1,138 1,508 1,819 1,493
Chile 20 32 64 20 44 40 71
Colombia 142 168 247 161 140 215 287
Costa Rica 2 53 41 59 63 47 41
Cuba 39 104 65 338 294 112 162
Ecuador 2 194 289 228 304 19 18
El Salvador 14 1 1 1 1 1 1
Guatemala 12 3 3 3 79 49 68
Honduras 0 0 0 2 0 3 4
Jamaica 0 9 4 25 26 11 4
Mexico 487 2,080 2,132 1,783 1,719 1,375 1,573
Panama 10 2 2 9 7 7 6
Paraguay 5 5 3 0 0 2 14
Peru 65 2 0 10 15 15 9
Saint Lucia 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Trinidad/Tobago 114 203 105 147 160 160 112
US 475 56 2 280 8 16 1
Uruguay 71 21 15 16 29 66 82
Venezuela Bol. Rep. 856 14 5 22 11 15 0
AMERICAS 4,025 3,713 4,037 4,436 4,507 4,330 4,622
WORLD 34,244 56,954 60,850 55,672 53,671 59,408 59,732
* The data do not include dried albumin
Source: FAO
Global Poultry Trends 5m Publishing
Figure 4. Imports of dried egg ('000 tonnes)

Liquid Egg Trade

The Americas accounts for only about eight per cent of global liquid egg exports (Table 6 and Figure 5) of which, the USA and Canada are responsible for about 79 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

In 2011, Japan was the key buyer of US products taking some 11,200 tonnes although significant purchases were made by Canada, China, Singapore and Mexico. US exports of liquid egg have since expanded to almost 34,000 tonnes in 2013.

Table 6. Exports of liquid egg from countries in the Americas (tonnes)
Country2000200620072008200920102011
Argentina 18 239 237 179 173 192 71
Brazil 874 2,688 2,019 2,393 2,278 1,961 1,278
Canada 1,783 2,647 1,943 2,542 2,094 4,332 3,644
Colombia 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Costa Rica 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
El Salvador 870 561 598 194 9 0 0
Jamaica 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Mexico 0 0 0 5 57 177 104
Peru 553 0 124 462 214 28 44
USA 16,548 15,889 15,335 14,973 14,343 14,961 18,651
Uruguay 0 12 5 3 13 13 13
Venezuela Bol. Rep. 1 22 6 0 0 0 0
AMERICAS 20,647 22,058 20,271 20,751 19,181 21,664 23,805
WORLD 144,191 205,274 217,255 235,998 266,462 272,639 313,984
Source: FAO
Global Poultry Trends 5m Publishing
Figure 5. Exports of liquid egg ('000 tonnes)

Liquid egg imports into the Americas have shown little movement around 10,000 tonnes a year since 2006 (Table 7 and Figure 6) with the US, Canada and Mexico the biggest purchasers.

Table 7. Imports of liquid egg into countries in the Americas (tonnes)
Country2000200620072008200920102011
Antigua/Barbuda 0 0 0 0 0 0 9
Argentina 546 12 4 0 12 0 0
Aruba 1 0 0 0 7 7 7
Bahamas 140 206 191 199 282 256 231
Barbados 15 25 37 46 64 87 108
Bermuda 100 50 44 29 4 1 1
Bolivia 8 0 0 4 1 0 1
Canada 1,857 2,066 2,430 1,905 3,985 2,284 2,191
Chile 0 25 9 6 98 186 21
Colombia 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
Costa Rica 382 851 378 584 380 426 567
Cuba 5 0 3 0 0 251 239
Ecuador 6 0 0 0 0 331 302
El Salvador 111 3 0 0 25 19 20
Guatemala 883 646 643 234 178 84 180
Guyana 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
Haiti 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
Honduras 98 37 17 35 12 1 1
Jamaica 3 1 2 1 27 0 2
Mexico 907 2,158 1,109 478 1,729 1,797 1,394
Netherlands Antilles 20 60 11 18 24 10 -
Nicaragua 0 3 2 1 1 1 1
Panama 100 19 24 26 20 21 30
Paraguay 3 1 0 0 0 0 0
Peru 290 145 127 93 0 0 0
Saint Kitts/Nevis 0 3 0 0 0 6 1
Saint Lucia 1 1 2 0 0 2 2
Saint Vincent/Grenadines 0 0 1 1 0 2 2
Trindad/Tobago 65 61 65 105 65 19 81
US 1,596 1,811 1,731 2,726 2,473 4,047 3,829
Uruguay 28 244 228 172 62 110 334
Venezuela Bol. Rep. 200 2,075 2,332 2,210 1,323 739 517
AMERICAS 7,370 10,504 9,393 8,873 10,779 10,687 10,079
WORLD 124,335 193,459 215,287 230,369 249,486 270,486 271,809
- no figure
Source: FAO
Global Poultry Trends 5m Publishing
Figure 6. Imports of liquid egg ('000 tonnes)

Further Reading

Go to the previous article in this series by clicking here.

March 2015

© 2000 - 2024 - Global Ag Media. All Rights Reserved | No part of this site may be reproduced without permission.