Chicken exports in June this year were 294,724 metric tons valued at $376.79 million compared with 273,403 tons valued at $324.61 million in June 2011, an increase of 7.8 percent in quantity and 16.1 percent in value. Chicken parts were ahead of the overall category pace with a 13.2 percent gain in quantity and a 22.3 percent rise in value. Prepared chicken and sausages also had good gains with a 15.7 percent increase in quantity and a 6.1 percent increase in value. Whole chickens, on the other hand, were off 77.3 percent in tonnage and down 69.6 percent in value.
Chicken exports for June 2011 and June 2012 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of June | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2011 | 2012 | Change | 2011 | 2012 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 250,285 | 283,395 | 13.2 | 283.73 | 346.92 | 22.3 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 6,538 | 7,563 | 15.7 | 23.06 | 24.46 | 6.1 |
| Whole chickens | 16,580 | 3,766 | -77.3 | 17.82 | 5.42 | -69.6 |
| Total | 273,403 | 294,724 | 7.8 | 324.61 | 376.79 | 16.1 |
During the first half of 2012 chicken exports totaled 1,808,415 tons valued at $2,320.84 million compared with 1,605,306 tons valued at $1,881.82 million during January-June 2011, increases of 12.7 and 23.3 percent for quantity and value, respectively. Within the chicken category, chicken parts increased 17.5 percent in tonnage and 29.4 percent in value. Prepared chicken and sausages were up 13.2 percent and 9.2 percent for quantity and value, respectively. A significant downturn in whole chicken exports during January-June 2012 registered with a 72.6 percent drop in quantity and a 65.2 percent decline in value.
Chicken exports during January-June 2011 and January-June 2012 are as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports for the Period of January-June | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2011 | 2012 | Change | 2011 | 2012 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 1,480,864 | 1,740,057 | 17.5 | 1,653.84 | 2,140.64 | 29.4 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 39,883 | 45,161 | 13.2 | 135.61 | 148.09 | 9.2 |
| Whole chickens | 84,559 | 23,197 | -72.6 | 92.36 | 32.11 | -65.2 |
| Total | 1,605,306 | 1,808,415 | 12.7 | 1,881.82 | 2,320.84 | 23.3 |
Mexico continued as the top chicken parts market in June this year with 44,507 tons valued at $46.31 million, 15.6 percent above the quantity a year earlier and 28.9 percent over the value in June a year ago. Other top parts markets this June were Russia, China, Angola, Cuba, and Hong Kong. Next week’s issue of the Washington Report will include the top 15 parts markets.
