Chicken exports for August 2012 were 332,375 metric tons valued at $417.50 million compared with 352,522 tons valued at $419.48 million in August 2011, a 5.7-percent decline in quantity and an 0.5 percent slip in value.  Chicken parts with the overall chicken category were off 2.4 percent in quantity but up 3.1 percent in value, while prepared chicken and sausages were up 3.4 percent in quantity but down 3.3 percent in value.  Whole chickens exports for August 2012 compared with year earlier decreased 69.7 percent in quantity and decreased 61.8 percent in value.

Chicken exports for August 2011 and August 2012 were as follows:

U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of August
Quantity Value
2011 2012 Change 2011 2012 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 326,356 318,685 -2.4 371.79 383.27 3.1
Prepared chicken & sausages 7,880 8,151 3.4 27.38 26.47 -3.3
Whole chickens 18,286 5,539 -69.7 20.31 7.76 -61.8
Total 352,522 332,375 -5.7 419.48 417.50 -0.5

Chicken exports for January-August 2012 totaled 2,447,656 tons valued at $3,122.77 million compared with 2,290,978 tons valued at $2,696.71 million, a 6.8-percent increase in tonnage and a 15.8-percent increase in dollars.  Chicken parts registered stronger gains with an 11.1 percent rise in quantity and a 20.8 percent gain in value.  Prepared chicken and sausages were up 11.4 percent in quantity and up 6.6 percent in value while whole chicken exports decreased significantly with a 70.7 percent drop in quantity and a 62.6 percent decrease in value when January-August 2012 is compared with the first eight months of last year.

Chicken exports during January-August 2011 and January-August 2012 were as follows:

U.S. Chicken Exports for the Period of January-August
Quantity Value
2011 2012 Change 2011 2012 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 2,116,497 2,351,959 11.1 2,380.15 2,876.23 20.0
Prepared chicken & sausages 54,326 60,508 11.4 185.20 197.37 6.6
Whole chickens 120,155 35,189 -70.7 131.36 49.18 -62.6
Total 2,290,978 2,447,656 6.8 2,696.71 3,122.77 15.8

For August this year, the top four chicken parts markets all experienced positive results for both quantity and values.  Top market Mexico was up 30.9 percent in quantity and 40.3 percent in value, while China was the second largest parts market with an increase of 224.4 percent in quantity and a 210.0-percent increase in value.  Russia, third top destination, experienced a 9.2- percent increase in quantity and a 4.2-percent increase in value.  Cuba rose to the fourth largest parts market in August this year with a 52.9-percent increase in quantity and a 59.6 percent increase in value when compared with August 2011.

Next week’s issue of the Washington Report will present the data for the top 15 chicken parts markets.