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Broiler exports down in first half of 2023

August 14, 2023

U.S. broiler export volume for the first half of this year decreased by 2.0 percent from the same period of last year, while egg exports hit an all-time high in value, according to new trade data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Mexico, Taiwan, Iraq, Georgia, Hong Kong, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Singapore, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), and Benin registered tremendous gains in broiler exports from the same period a year earlier.

Broiler exports for the first half of this year were 1,850,916 metric tons, down 2.0 percent from the same period of last year, while export value was $2.382 billion, down 7.5 percent (Figure 1). Of the total shipment, 56.5 percent or 1,046,607 tons were shipped to the top six markets, including Mexico, China, Taiwan, Cuba, Canada, and Philippines.

Shipments to Mexico in January-June 2023 were 358,418 metric tons, up 13.2 percent from the same period a year earlier. During the same period, Brazilian chicken exports to Mexico reached 88,414 metric tons, up 8.3 percent year over year, while Chilean chicken exports to Mexico were 9,353 metric tons, down 29.8 percent.

Exports to China decreased by 22.5 percent to 244,982 tons (of which 65.7 percent or 160,938 metric tons were chicken paws), while shipments to Taiwan increased by 16.5 percent to 162,107 tons. Exports to other important markets were Cuba, 137,688 tons, down 1.9 percent; Canada, 71,873, down 6.4 percent; Philippines, 71,539 tons, down 18.1 percent; Guatemala, 66,751 tons, up 2.1 percent; Angola, 49,189 tons, down 14.5 percent; Vietnam, 46,410 tons, down 0.5 percent; Congo (Brazzaville), 37,907 tons, up 9.4 percent.

Broiler exports in June 2023 were 296,067 metric tons, down 8.5 percent from the same month of last year, while export value was $412.0 million, down 17.4 percent. Shipments to Mexico increased by 15.4 percent year over year to 62,912 metric tons, while exports to China decreased by 39.2 percent to 36,067 tons (of which 66.9 percent or 24,125 metric tons were chicken paws). Shipments to Cuba increased by 18.4 percent to 27,413 tons, while exports to Taiwan decreased by 1.6 percent to 26,582 tons. While exports to Hong Kong, Iraq, Georgia, Qatar, Canada, Benin, and Peru increased notably year over year, exports to Vietnam, Ghana, Angola, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Colombia, Gambia, and United Arab Emirates decreased significantly.

Cumulative turkey exports for the first six months of this year were 90,684 metric tons, down 7.4 percent from the same period a year earlier, while export value was $281.9 million, down 11.0 percent (Figure 2). Of the total quantity exported, 84.1 percent or 73,815 metric tons were shipped to the top six markets, including Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Peru, Benin, and Gabon, with Mexico alone accounting for 68.8 percent or 62,375 metric tons.

Turkey exports in June 2023 were 18,745 metric tons, up 12.4 percent from the same month of last year, while export value was $53.9 million, up 0.6 percent. Shipments to Mexico increased by 5.4 percent to 13,056 metric tons, while exports to Canada increased by 49.7 percent to 844 metric tons. Exports to Peru reached 566 metric tons, as compared to zero shipment for the same month a year earlier. While exports to Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Gabon, Hong Kong, Guatemala, and Uruguay increased notably, shipments to Costa Rica, Honduras, Japan, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Angola, and South Africa decreased significantly.

Total egg exports (table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalent) for the first half of this year increased by 1.0 percent to 92.8 million dozen. The value of those exports increased by 37.4 percent to set a record at $169.6 million (Figure 3).

Cumulative exports of table eggs for the first six months of this year were 45.2 million dozen, up 18.2 percent from the same period of last year, while export value reached $98.5 million, up 63.3 percent. Of the total shipments, 87.8 percent or 39.7 million dozen were shipped to the top six export markets, namely Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong, Bahamas, United Kingdom, and Netherlands Antilles.

Table egg exports for June 2023 reached 6.7 million dozen, up 111 percent from the same month a year earlier, while export value was $8.8 million, up 54.3 percent, thanks largely to increased exports to Canada and Mexico. June exports to Canada hit 2.6 million dozen, as compared to 257,298 dozen for the same month a year earlier, while exports to Mexica reached 1.2 million dozen, as compared to 364,500 dozen for June 2022. Exports to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, EU-27, United Kingdom, and Trinidad and Tobago also increased notably.

For egg products, exports in January-June 2023 totaled 17,028 metric tons, up 28.5 percent from the same period of last year, while export value reached $71.1 million, up 12.7 percent. Exports to the top six markets including Japan, Mexico, EU-27, Canada, South Korea, and Bahamas accounted for 90.1 percent or $64.0 million.

June exports of egg products reached 2,854 metric tons, up 102 percent from the same month of last year, while export value was $11.1 million, up 14.6 percent. Export sales to Japan reached $5.7 million, up 40.4 percent year over year, while exports to Mexico reached $1.0 million, as compared to zero for the same month of last year. While export sales to Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, Israel, South Korea, and Panama increased notably, exports to EU-27 and Canada decreased significantly. – By Dr. Renan Zhuang.