Broiler exports in March this year continued to experience strong gains with a 9.8-percent increase in quantity and a 22.2-percent increase in value. Tonnage was 309,560 metric tons valued at $400.36 million this March compared with 281,834 tons valued at $327.71 million in March 2011. Within the chicken category, chicken parts were 297,503 tons valued at $368.62 million in March 2012 compared with a year earlier exports of 261,755 tons valued at $286.84 million, a 13.7-percent increase in quantity and a 28.5-percent increase in value. On the other hand, decreased exports were experienced for prepared chicken and sausages, off 1.6 percent in quantity and off 3.6 percent for value and whole chickens decreased 64.6 percent in quantity and 58.7 percent in value.
Chicken exports in March 2011 and March 2012 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of March | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 20110 | 2012 | Change | 2011 | 2012 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 261,755 | 297,503 | 13.7 | 286.84 | 368.62 | 28.5 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 7,846 | 7,721 | -1.6 | 26.96 | 26.00 | -3.6 |
| Whole chickens | 12,233 | 4,336 | -64.6 | 13.91 | 5.74 | -58.7 |
| Total | 281,834 | 309,560 | 9.8 | 327.71 | 400.36 | 22.2 |
First quarter 2012 chicken exports totaled 901,346 metric tons valued at $1,138.06 million, 14.5 percent ahead of the 787,224 tons during January-March 2011 and 27.6 percent above the $891.85 million year earlier. Chicken parts increased 18.8 percent in quantity and 33.9 percent in value. Also, increasing was exports of prepared chicken and sausages with a 9.1 percent rise in quantity and a 6.3 percent gain in value. Whole chickens decreased 67.4 percent in quantity and decreased 58.4 percent in value during first quarter this year.
Chicken exports during January-March 2011 and January-March 2012 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports for the Period of January-March | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2011 | 2012 | Change | 2011 | 2012 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 729,897 | 867,022 | 18.8 | 782.53 | 1,048.13 | 33.9 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 20,412 | 22,277 | 9.1 | 68.75 | 73.07 | 6.3 |
| Whole chickens | 36,915 | 12,047 | -67.4 | 40.57 | 16.86 | -58.4 |
| Total | 787,224 | 901,346 | 14.5 | 891.85 | 1,138.06 | 27.6 |
In March this year the top two chicken parts markets were again Hong Kong and Mexico. Parts to Hong Kong were 45,959 tons valued at $62.85 million, increases of 12.0 percent for both quantity and value. Parts to Mexico this March were 41,566 tons valued at $46.72 million, a 12.2-percent increase in quantity and a 35.9-percent increase in value when compared with a year earlier. Cuba was the third largest parts market in March with 20,673 tons valued at $21.77 million, increases of 890.1 percent and 1,228.2 percent for quantity and value, respectively. Russia, the fourth largest parts market with the quantity at 19,958 tons valued at $22.34 million, up 98.5 percent in quantity over March 2011 and up 98.8 percent in value compared with year earlier.
Next week’s issue of the Washington Report will include the results for the top 15 chicken parts markets.
