Chicken exports in July this year were 306,866 metric tons valued at $384.43 million compared with 333,150 tons valued at $395.42 million in July 2011, a 7.9-percent decrease in quantity and a 2.8-percent decline in value. Within the chicken category, parts were off 5.2 percent in quantity and down 0.6 percent in value while prepared chicken and sausages showed good growth in quantity and value, up 9.6 percent and up 2.7 percent for quantity and value, respectively. Whole carcass chicken exports decreased 62.7 percent in quantity and down 50.2 percent in value when July 2012 is compared with year earlier.
Chicken exports for July 2011 and July 2012 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of July | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2011 | 2012 | Change | 2011 | 2012 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 309,277 | 293,218 | -5.2 | 354.52 | 352.32 | -0.6 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 6,563 | 7,196 | 9.6 | 22.21 | 22.81 | 2.7 |
| Whole chickens | 17,310 | 6,452 | -62.7 | 18.69 | 9.30 | -50.2 |
| Total | 333,150 | 306,866 | -7.9 | 395.42 | 384.43 | -2.8 |
Despite the less-than-robust performance of chicken exports in July, cumulative exports for January through July 2012 continued strong. For the first seven months of this year, chicken exports totaled 2,115,280 tons valued at $2,705.27 million, 9.1 percent ahead of the same time period last year for tonnage and an 18.8-percent increase for value. Parts were up 13.6 percent on quantity and up 24.1 percent in value. Prepared chicken and sausages have gained 12.7 percent in quantity and increased 8.3 percent in value. Whole chicken exports decreased significantly during January-July 2012 with quantity decreasing 70.9 percent when compared with year earlier and value off 62.7 percent in value.
Chicken exports during January-July 2011 and January-July 2012 were as follows:
| U.S. Chicken Exports for the Period of January-July | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | |||||
| 2011 | 2012 | Change | 2011 | 2012 | Change | |
| – metric tons – | – percent – | – million dollars – | – percent – | |||
| Chicken parts | 1,790,142 | 2,033,274 | 13.6 | 2,008.36 | 2,492.96 | 24.1 |
| Prepared chicken & sausages | 46,446 | 52,357 | 12.7 | 157.83 | 170.90 | 8.3 |
| Whole chickens | 101,869 | 29,649 | -70.9 | 111.05 | 41.42 | -62.7 |
| Total | 1,938,457 | 2,115,280 | 9.1 | 2,277.24 | 2,705.27 | 18.8 |
Mexico was the top chicken parts market in July 2012 with 44,346 tons valued at $47.48 million, 25.0 percent above a year earlier for quantity and 48.0 percent higher on value. Russia and China were the next top parts markets with both countries experiencing good gains in quantity and value. Next week’s issue of the Washington Report will have the top 15 parts markets information.
