Chicken exports in January 2013 increased 5.9 percent in value and gained 1.3 percent in quantity.  Exports totaled 266,182 metric tons valued at $348.03 million in this January compared with 262,639 tons valued at $328.74 million in January 2012. Chicken parts were  up 0.9 percent in quantity and up 5.0 percent in value while prepared chicken and sausages decreased 1.8 percent but increased 2.9 percent in quantity and value, respectively. Whole chicken exports increased significantly in both quantity and value with quantity up 43.5 percent from a year earlier and value increasing 76.3 percent from January 2012.

Chicken exports in January 2012 and January 2013 were as follows:

U.S. Chicken Exports for the Month of January
Quantity Value
2012 2013 Change 2012 2013 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 251,738 253,886 0.9 300.47 315.62 5.0
Prepared chicken & sausages 7,394 7,263 -1.8 23.76 24.46 2.9
Whole chickens 3,507 5,033 43.5 4.51 7.95 76.3
Total 262,639 266,182 1.3 328.74 348.03 5.9

Chicken parts exports to the top six markets all registered increases in both quantity and value in January. Mexico was the top destination with a 21.6 percent increase in quantity and a 28.5 percent increase in value. The net top markets, China, Russia, and Angola, had impressive triple-digit gains in both quantity and value. Nine of the top 15 parts markets had increases in both quantity and value in January 2013 compared with year earlier. The top 15 markets combined for a 14.1 percent increase in quantity and an increase of 17.1 percent in value. “Other countries” were off 25.9 percent in quantity and down 20.8 percent in value.

Chicken parts exports for January 2012 and January 2013 were as follows:

U.S. Chicken Parts for the Month of January
Destination Quantity Value
2012 2013 Change 2012 2013 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Mexico 38,155 46,404 21.6 40.62 52.21 28.5
China 9,980 27,902 179.6 11.10 33.08 198.0
Russia 10,789 22,566 109.2 12.02 24.40 103.0
Angola 4,282 16,401 283.0 4.97 19.72 297.1
Taiwan 13,633 14,369 5.4 14.90 17.38 16.7
Canada 8,758 10,935 24.9 23.34 31.15 33.5
Hong Kong 34,523 9,650 -72.0 45.78 12.99 -71.6
Cuba 11,984 7,719 -35.6 12.11 8.09 -33.2
Guatemala 4,571 6,097 33.4 5.05 7.19 42.4
Turkey 2,947 6,080 106.3 3.67 6.57 79.2
Haiti 6,268 5,711 -8.9 6.22 5.78 -7.0
United Arab Emirates 7,315 5,267 -28.0 7.78 6.19 -20.5
Ghana 3,266 4,505 37.9 4.20 6.09 45.0
Vietnam 6,820 4,379 -35.8 7.84 5.06 -35.5
Philippines 5,041 4,137 -17.9 5.23 3.94 -24.6
Top 15 Markets 168,332 192,122 14.1 204.81 239.84 17.1
Other Countries 83,406 61,764 -25.9 95.65 75.78 -20.8
Grand Total 251,738 253,886 0.9 300.47 315.62 5.0