Washington Report

Chicken exports in March this year slipped 4.2 percent in quantity and also dropped 7.2 percent in value when compared with a year earlier. Exports totaled 315,550 metric tons valued at $387.37 million in March 2014 compared with 329,381 tons valued at $417.41 million in March 2013. Within the overall chicken category, chicken parts were off 3.2 percent in quantity and were down 6.2 percent in value. Prepared chicken and sausages registered a 4.7-percent decrease in quantity but a 0.5 percent gain in value. Whole chicken exports fell 44.5 percent in quantity and decreased 57.3 percent in value when March 2014 is compared with March 2013.

Chicken exports for March 2013 and March 2014 were as follows:

Mexico in March this year was again the leading parts market with 51,709 metric tons valued at $55.06 million, a 5.8-percent increase in tonnage and a 1.5-percent increase in dollars. Hong Kong, the second largest parts market, took 25,341 tons valued at $38.78 million, a 102.7-percent increase in quantity and an 125.0-percent increase in value. Angola, the third largest parts destination in March this year, decreased 19.2-percent in tonnage and also declined 1.9-percent in value.

The top 15 parts markets had a 2.2-percent decrease in tonnage and a 4.2-percent decrease in value while “other countries” were off 5.7 percent in quantity and down 11.2 percent in value when March 2014 is compared with March 2013. Eight of the top 15 parts markets this March registered increases both in quantity and value.

Chicken parts exports in March 2013 and March 2014 were as follows:

Chicken exports during the first quarter of this year posted a 2.6 percent gain in quantity but a 2.7 percent dip in value. For January-March 2014, chicken exports totaled 914,201 metric tons valued at $1,110.09 million compared with 891,054 tons valued at $1,140.94 million during the same three months in 2013.

Within the overall chicken category, parts during January-March were 876,068 metric tons valued at $1,008.49 million compared with 850,287 tons valued at $1,036.94 million, a 3.0 percent increase in quantity but a 2.7 percent decrease in value. The other two subcategories reported mixed results. Prepared chicken and sausages were 24,655 tons valued at $84.30 million, 4.6 percent more than the 23,574 tons during January-March 2013 and 9.5 percent above the $76.96 million a year earlier. Whole chicken exports recorded lower performance with 14,478 tons valued at $17.30 million compared with 17,193 tons valued at $27.04 million, decreases of 21.6 percent and 36.0 percent for quantity and value, respectively, when January-March 2014 is compared with January-March 2013.

Chicken exports for January-March 2013 and January-March 2014 were as follows:

Mexico continues to be the leading parts destination. During January-March 2014 parts exports to Mexico totaled 153,247 tons valued at $158.63 million, a 10.0-percent increase in quantity and a 1.4-percent increase in value. Hong Kong was the second largest parts market during the first three months of 2014 when measured in tonnage. Angola was third, followed somewhat closely by Russia and China.

Eleven of the top 15 parts markets had increases in quantity and nine had increases in value during January-March 2014. Together, the 15 largest parts countries had a 5.6 percent increase in quantity but a -0.8 percent decrease in value. At the same time, “other countries” experienced a 3.1-percent decrease in quantity and a 7.7-percent decrease in value.

Chicken parts exports during January-March 2013 and January-March 2014 were as follows: