Between 2000 and 2007, the quantity of shell eggs exported from Asian countries went up by 83 per cent from 204,000 tonnes to 374,000 tonnes.

China is the largest exporter, selling 120,000 tonnes in 2007 or 32 per cent of the region's total (table 1). Although it has not been possible to obtain a breakdown of this country's annual totals, it seems likely that the bulk of sales have been to Hong Kong.

Figure 1. Leading Asian shell egg exporting countries

The second largest exporter is Malaysia, total sales exceeding 69,000 tonnes in 2007, of which more than 62,000 tonnes went to Singapore. Small quantities were purchased by Brunei, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

Most rapid growth in exports has taken place in India, the total rising from a mere 11,000 tonnes in 2000 to 67,000 tonnes in 2007. Although India sold to nearly 40 countries in 2007, some two-thirds of shipments went to just four – Kuwait, Afghanistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Between 2004 and 2006, exports from Turkey were relatively steady at less than 12,000 tonnes a year. However, in 2007, they rocketed to nearly 47,000 tonnes as Iraq purchased almost 40,000 tonnes. Thus, after Hong Kong and Singapore, Iraq became the largest importer of shell eggs in 2007, the total exceeding 57,000 tonnes (table 2).

Since 2002, Saudi Arabia's exports have escalated quickly from less than 7,000 tonnes to exceed 28,000 tonnes in 2007, when the bulk went to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Figure 2. Leading Asian shell egg importing countries

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