Chicken exports in August this year decreased 4.7 percent in quantity and were off 0.9 percent in value compared with a year earlier. Exports totaled 315,752 metric tons valued at $412.62 million this August compared with 331,248 tons valued at $416.31 million in August 2012. Within the overall chicken category, chicken parts declined 5.2 percent in quantity and were down 18 percent in value. Whole chickens exports fell with quantity dropping 3.4 percent from a year earlier and value decreasing 7.3 percent from August 2012. On the other hand, prepared chicken and sausages registered gains of 13.7 percent and 14.6 percent in quantity and value, respectively.
Chicken exports for August 2012 and August 2013 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of August | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2012 | 2013 | Change | 2012 | 2013 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 317,549 | 301,123 | -5.2 | 382.02 | 375,02 | -1.8 |
| Whole chickens | 5,537 | 5,349 | -3.4 | 7.76 | 7.19 | -7.3 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 8,162 | 9,280 | 13.7 | 26.53 | 30.41 | 14.6 |
| Total | 331,248 | 315,752 | -4.7 | 416.31 | 412.62 | -0.9 |
Chicken exports during the first eight months of this year posted a slight gain of 1.3 percent in quantity and an increase of 2.9 percent in value. For January-August 2013, chicken exports totaled 2,476,704 tons valued at $3,210.23 million compared with 2,444,288 tons valued at $3,119.45 million during the same eight months a year earlier.
Within the overall chicken category, parts during January-August 2013 were 2,348,167 tons valued at $2,901.67 million compared with 2,348,513 tons valued at $2,872.65 million, no-change in quantity and a 1-percent increase in value. The other two subcategories reported better results. Whole chicken exports recorded strong growth with 55,766 tons valued at $80.88 million so far this year compared with 35,235 tons valued at $49.21 million during the first eight months of last year, increases of 58.3 percent and 64.4 percent for quantity and value, respectively. Prepared chicken and sausages were 72,771 tons valued at $227.68 million, 20.2 percent more than the 60,540 tons during January-August 2012 and 15.2 percent abobe $197.59 million a year earlier.
Chicken exports for January-August 2012 and January-August 2013 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports during the Period of January-August | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2012 | 2013 | Change | 2012 | 2013 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 2,348,513 | 2,348,167 | 0.0 | 2,872.65 | 2,901.67 | 1.0 |
| Whole chickens | 35,235 | 55,766 | 58.3 | 49.21 | 80.88 | 64.4 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 60,540 | 72,771 | 20.2 | 197.59 | 227.68 | 15.2 |
| Total | 2,444,288 | 2,476,704 | 1.3 | 3,119.45 | 3,210.23 | 2.9 |
Mexico continued to be the top market for chicken parts exports in August 2013, albeit with modest increases of 0.7 percent in quantity and a 10.4 percent increase in value. The second top market, China, had a decrease in quantity of 16.6 percent and a decrease of 5.9 percent in value. Russia, the third largest parts market, in August had a 4.0 percent decrease in quantity and 7.5 percent decrease in value. On the other hand, Angola, the fourth largest parts destination during August 2013, experienced a 21.4 percent increase in quantity and a 11.2 percent increase in value when August 2013 parts exports are compared with August 2012. Parts exported to Canada, the fifth largest market in terms of tonnage, but second in terms of value, declined 13.3 percent in quantity and slipped 0.3 percent in value.
Next week’s Washington Report will present chicken parts exports for the top 15 markets for August 2013 and January-August 2013.
