Chicken exports in April 2013 increased 2.1 percent in quantity and gained 3.0 percent in value over a year earlier. Exports totaled 310,730 metric tons valued at $411.16 million this April compared with 304,375 tons valued at $399.18 million in April 2012. Within the overall chicken category, chicken parts were up 0.5 percent in quantity and up 0.7 percent in value, while prepared chicken and sausages registered gains of 11.2 percent and 12.1 percent in quantity and value, respectively. Albeit from relatively low levels, whole chickens increased significantly with quantity up 117.2 percent from a year earlier and value increasing 141.3 percent from April 2012.

Chicken exports for April 2012 and April 2013 were as follows:

U.S. Exports During the Month of April
Quantity Value
2012 2013 Change 2012 2013 Change
— metric tons — – percent – — million dollars — – percent –
Chicken parts 293,484 294,991 0.5 370.12 372.80 0.7
Prepared chicken & sausages 7,472 8,312 11.2 24.59 27.56 12.1
Whole chicken 3,419 7,427 117.2 4.47 10.79 141.3
Total 304,375 310,730 2.1 399.18 411.16 3.0

Chicken exports during the four months of this year were off slightly with a 0.3 percent slip in quantity but rose 1.0 percent in value. For January-April 2013, chicken exports totaled 1,201,784 tons valued at $1,522.09 million compared with 1,205,721 tons valued at $1,537.24 million during the same months a year earlier. Within the overall chicken category, parts during January-April 2013 were 1,145,279 tons valued at $1,409.74 million compared with 1,160,506 tons valued at $1,418.24 million, a 1.3- percent decline in quantity and 0.6 percent less in value. However, the other two sub-categories reported positive results. Prepared chicken and sausages were 31,885 tons valued at $104.52 million, 7.2 percent more than the 29,749 tons during January-April 2012 and 7.0 percent above $97.66 million year earlier. Whole chicken exports experienced strong growth with 24,620 tons valued at $37.83 million so far this year compared with 15,466 tons valued at $21.33 million last year during the first four months, increases of 59.2 percent and 77.3 percent for quantity and value, respectively.

Chicken exports for January-April 2012 and January-April 2013 were as follows:

U.S. Exports for the Period of January-April
Quantity Value
2012 2013 Change 2012 2013 Change
— metric tons — – percent – — million dollars — – percent –
Chicken parts 1,160,506 1,145,279 -1.3 1,418.24 1,409.74 -0.6
Prepared chicken & sausages 29,749 31,885 7.2 97.66 104.52 7.0
Whole chicken 15,466 24,620 59.2 21.33 37.83 77.3
Total 1,205,721 1,201,784 -0.3 1,537.24 1,552.09 1.0

Chicken parts exports to the top four markets (Mexico, China, Russia, and Angola) in April 2013 registered increases in both quantity and value. Mexico was the top destination with a 19.0 percent increase in quantity and a 23.3 percent increase in value. Next top market, China, again had impressive triple-digit gains in both quantity and value, with a 151.6 percent increase in quantity and a 140.3 percent increase in value. Parts exports to Russia, the third largest market in April, were up 8.9 percent in quantity and up 7.1 percent in value. Angola experienced a 58.4-percent increase in quantity and a 53.9-percent increase in value when the first four months of 2013 parts exports are compared with the time period in 2012.

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