Poultry Outlook: Broiler Exports Down 11 Percent In August
10/16/2009 10:15AM
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Broiler exports in August totaled 577 million pounds, down 11 percent from a year earlier. This is up only slightly from the level of exports in June (562 million pounds) and is not surprising, given the decline in leg quarter prices. Over the first 8 months of 2009, broiler exports have totaled 4.55 billion pounds, down less than 1 percent from the same period in 2008. Exports over the remainder of 2009 are expected to be down considerably from the previous year, with the total for 2009 forecast at 6.6 billion pounds, 5 percent below 2008. Strong growth in broiler exports to Mexico and a number of smaller markets such as Lithuania, Iraq, and Guatemala have helped to balance out lower exports to Russia, the Ukraine, and China. With lower domestic prices for most broiler products, the unit value of broiler exports has also declined. Over the first 8 months of 2009, the value of broiler exports was down 4 percent from the same period in 2008, to $2.2 billion.