Chicken exports for November 2012 were 316,945 metric tons valued at $407.73 million compared with 307,104 tons valued at $382.98 million in November 2011, 3.2 percent more in quantity and 6.5 percent higher in value.  Chicken parts within the overall chicken category were up 3.1 percent in quantity and rose 6.1 percent in value.  Prepared chicken and sausages exports were up 9.5 percent in quantity and had a 9.2 percent gain in value.  Whole chickens exports in November finally stopped their month-to-month slide and posted an increase with a 1.5 percent increase in quantity and a 14.2 percent increase in value.

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

U.S. Chicken Exports during the Month of November
Quantity Value
2011 2012 Change 2011 2012 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 294,813 303,874 3.1 351.23 372.72 6.1
Prepared chicken & sausages 7,418 8,123 9.5 25.10 27.41 9.2
Whole chickens 4,873 4,948 1.5 6.65 7.60 14.2
Total 307,104 316,945 3.2 382.98 407.73 6.5

Chicken exports during January-November 2012 totaled 3,413,916 tons valued at $4,366.95 million compared with 3,276,319 tons valued at $3,914.17 million, a 4.2-percent increase in tonnage and an 11.6-percent increase in dollars.  Chicken parts gained 7.7 percent in quantity and increased 15.4 percent in value.  Prepared chicken and sausages were up 9.8 percent in quantity and up 6.9 percent in value while whole chicken exports were off significantly with a 66.1 percent decrease in quantity and a 57.4 percent decrease in value when January-November 2012 is compared with the first eleven months of 2011.

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

U.S. Chicken Exports for the Period of January-November
Quantity Value
2011 2012 Change 2011 2012 Change
– metric tons – – percent – – million dollars – – percent –
Chicken parts 3,042,514 3,276,416 7.7 3,478.58 4,013.98 15.4
Prepared chicken & sausages 76,822 84,360 9.8 260.35 278.31 6.9
Whole chickens 156,983 53,140 -66.1 175.24 74.65 -57.4
Total 3,276,319 3,413,916 4.2 3,914.17 4,366.95 11.6

For November last year, the top two chicken parts markets both experienced very positive results for both quantity and values.  Top market Mexico was up 41.8 percent in quantity (49,338 tons) and up 58.9 percent in value ($53.67 million), while Angola was the second largest parts market with an increase of 156.5 percent in quantity (25,955 tons) and a 175.9 percent increase in value ($32.27 million).  Russia, third top destination, experienced a 2.3 percent decrease in quantity (25,877 tons) and an 8.0 percent decrease in value ($28.63 million).  China was the fourth largest parts market in November 2012 with the quantity, 21,605 tons, up 80.2 percent and the value, $25.16 million, increasing 64.7 percent above year earlier.

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