Chicken exports in September this year were 326,831 metric tons valued at $398.14 million compared with 311,280 tons valued at $323.43 million in September 2010, increases of 5.0 percent and 23.1 percent for quantity and value, respectively. Broiler parts within the chicken category were 302,058 tons valued at $353.38 million this September, a 2.6 percent gain in quantity and a 21.4 percent rise in value.  Whole chicken exports were up an impressive 69.2 percent in quantity and a 90.0 percent in value.  Exports of prepared chicken & sausages increased 7.4 percent in quantity and increased 10.0 percent in value.

Chicken exports for September 2010 and September 2011 were as follows:

U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of September
Quantity Value
2010 2011 Change 2010 2011 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 294,324 302,058 2.6 291.00 353.38 21.4
Whole chickens 10,618 17,967 69.2 11.34 21.55 90.0
Prepared chicken & sausages 6,338 6,806 7.4 21.09 23.21 10.0
Total 311,280 326,831 5.0 323.43 398.14 23.1

For the first three quarters of 2012 chicken exports totaled 2,626,725 metric tons valued at $3,097.86 million, a 7.7-percent increase in quantity and an 18.1-percent increase in value when compared with January-September 2010.  Broiler parts had gains of 6.3 percent in quantity and 17.5 percent in value.  Whole chickens increased 37.8 percent and 43.0 percent for quantity and value, respectively.  Prepared chicken & sausages exports also experienced strong gains with a 10.4- percent increase in quantity and a 11.1-percent increase in value.

Chicken exports for January-September 2010 and January-September 2011 were as follows:

U.S. Chicken Exports for the Period of January-September
Quantity Value
2010 2011 Change 2010 2011 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 2,284,225 2,427,432 6.3 2,328.96 2,736.47 17.5
Whole chickens 100,258 138,185 37.8 106.93 152.94 43.0
Prepared chicken & sausages 55,365 61,108 10.4 187.56 208.45 11.1
Total 2,439,848 2,626,725 7.7 2,623.45 3,097.86 18.1

Top chicken parts markets in September were Hong Kong with 52,326 metric tons valued at $70.95 million, up 52.6 percent in quantity and 56.2 percent in value; Mexico with 36,241 tons valued at $35.50 million, up 4.5 percent in quantity and up 24.2 percent in value; and Russia with 30,821 tons valued at $36.52 million, down 18.9 percent in quantity and up 12.6 percent in value.  Next week’s issue of the Washington Report will present chicken parts export data for the top 15 markets for January-September 2011.