USDA Outlook: U.S. broiler exports up 3.1% year-over-year to 637 million lbs. in September; turkey shipments up 18% to 58.8 million lbs.; egg exports up 9% to 26.1 million dozen

Andrew Rogers

WASHINGTON , November 16, 2011 (press release) – Poultry Trade: Broiler and turkey shipments in September 2011 rose from a year earlier. Broiler shipments totaled 637 million pounds, a 3.1- percent increase from September 2010 shipments. Turkey shipments totaled 58.8 million pounds, an 18-percent increase from last year.

Egg Exports Higher in September

Although egg prices have been relatively volatile in 2011, egg and egg product exports have remained strong to a number of countries. In September, total egg exports were the equivalent of 26.1 million dozen eggs. This is 9 percent higher than a year earlier and over the first 9 months of 2011, egg exports are 9 percent higher than during the same period in 2010. In September, exports of shell eggs fell slightly, but those declines were more than offset by strong increases in exports of egg products. The increase in exports is related to strong demand in a number of Asian countries and the weakness of the dollar against a number of other currencies.

Total egg exports in third-quarter 2011 totaled 70.6 million dozen on a shell egg equivalent basis, up 5 percent from the same period in 2010. With year-to-date exports down to Canada and a number of EU countries, the increases have come from higher shipments to Mexico and a number of Asian countries, particularly Japan and Hong Kong.

Record-Breaking Third-Quarter Shipments Ignited by Strong September Finish

September broiler shipments helped set a new record for broilers shipped in a given quarter; broilers shipped from July 2011 to September 2011 totaled almost 2 billion pounds, which eclipses the previous record set in the fourth quarter of 2010. The increase in broiler meat exports is largely fueled by demand from new markets. U.S. leg-quarters are competitively priced, which is a major factor for both new and historical markets.

Broiler shipments for September 2011 totaled 637 million pounds, 3.1- percent more than a year ago. Compared with September 2010, several countries imported more broiler meat from the United States. While leg-quarter prices are slightly higher than last year during this time, exchange rates have kept prices competitive against other major broiler exporters, particularly Brazil. Shipments to major broiler importing countries such as Mexico, Cuba, Hong Kong, Angola, Japan, United Arab, and China rose from a year ago. Mexico, the top U.S. broiler destination for 2011, imported almost 4 million pounds more this September, while Hong Kong imported almost 30 million pounds more than it did a year ago. With the exception of September, shipments to Russia in the third quarter of the year have picked up and have been important to the U.S. broiler market.

Third-Quarter and September Turkey Shipments Are Up from a Year Ago

Turkey shipments in the third quarter of this year rose from a year ago. A total of 173 million pounds of turkey meat was shipped July through September. There was an increase of almost 9-percent from the 2010 third quarter. Approximately half of this turkey meat was shipped to Mexico. Excluding Mexico, when compared with last year’s third quarter, more turkey shipments have been going to Hong Kong and Canada, while fewer have been going to the Dominican Republic and China. Turkey shipments totaled 58.8 million pounds in September 2011, an 18-percent increase from last year. Mexico and Hong Kong accounted for most of the increase from a year ago. Shipments to Mexico increased 16-percent, while Hong Kong was up 56-percent. Given continued strength in turkey shipments, the fourth-quarter projections were raised up 5 million pounds from last month.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.