Chicken exports in July 2011 were 342,378 metric tons valued at $399.62 million, 29.6 percent higher than the 264,131 tons in July 2010 and 39.8 percent above the $285.80 million a year earlier. “One month doesn’t make a year, but maybe this impressive across-the-board growth in July is the mark that the world has begun to re-discover the value of U.S. chicken,” NCC President Mike Brown said.
Within the chicken category, all three subcategories exhibited strong increases in both quantity and value. Chicken parts were up 28.8 percent in quantity and 40.9 percent in value, whole chickens increased 52.9 percent in quantity and 53.4 percent in value, and prepared chicken and sausages had gains of 18.0 percent and 16.6 percent, respectively, for quantity and value.
Chicken exports for July 2010 and July 2011 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of July | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2010 | 2011 | Change | 2010 | 2011 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 247,245 | 318,494 | 28.8 | 254.57 | 358.72 | 40.9 |
| Whole chickens | 11,327 | 17,324 | 52.9 | 12.18 | 18.69 | 53.4 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 5,559 | 6,560 | 18.0 | 19.04 | 22.21 | 16.6 |
| Total | 264,131 | 342,378 | 29.6 | 285.80 | 399.62 | 39.8 |
For January-July this year, chicken exports totaled 1,947,645 tons valued at $2,280.70 million, compared with 1,872,245 tons valued at $2,030.72 million during the first seven months of 2010, a 4.0-percent increase in quantity and a 12.3-percent increase in value. July’s strong results helped allow all three subcategories to register gains in quantity and value for January-July 2011. Chicken parts increased 2.9 percent in quantity and 11.8 percent in value, whole chickens increased the most on a percentage basis with quantity up 27.4 percent and value up 30.4 percent. Prepared chicken and sausages exports rose 7.8 percent in quantity while gaining 8.5 percent in value.
Chicken exports for January-July 2010 and January-July 2011 were as follows:
| U.S. Broiler Parts for the Period of January-July | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2010 | 2011 | Change | 2010 | 2011 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 1,749,100 | 1,799,253 | 2.9 | 1,799.89 | 2,011.63 | 11.8 |
| Whole chickens | 80,049 | 101,952 | 27.4 | 85.22 | 111.10 | 30.4 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 43,096 | 46,440 | 7.8 | 145.61 | 157.97 | 8.5 |
| Total | 1,872,245 | 1,947,645 | 4.0 | 2,030.72 | 2,280.70 | 12.3 |
The top three chicken parts exports markets in July 2011 were Hong Kong, Mexico, and Russia. Hong Kong was the largest parts market in July 2011 by a good margin with 58,307 tons valued at $76.94 million, increases of 86.3 percent and 65.6 percent for quantity and value, respectively. Next week’s Washington Report will include the results for chicken exports for the top 15 chicken parts markets.
