Broiler exports totalled 608.7 million pounds in January, a decrease of 3.4 percent from January 2023, according to the most recent USDA Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report.

Shipments to Mexico, accounting for 22.8% of exports, were similar to last January at 138.9 million pounds. Year-over-year increases in shipments to Taiwan (+22.7 million pounds), the United Arab Emirates (+12.6 million pounds), the Philippines (+10.1 million pounds), Georgia (+4.0 million pounds), and other markets were not large enough to offset decreases in shipments to China (-23.4 million pounds), Angola (-14.6 million pounds), Turkey (-8.5 million pounds), Colombia (-7.8 million pounds), Haiti (-6.5 million pounds), and South Africa (-6.5 million pounds). 

Projected exports for 2024 are adjusted down by 50 million pounds to 7,165 million pounds. This reflects US prices that are less competitive in the international marketplace concurrent with rising output from Brazil. 

At the same time, China’s demand for US chicken continues to decline. China accounted for declining shares of US broiler exports in the latter part of last year and accounted for only 1.4% of exports in January. 

On expectations of lower sales to several key markets during the year, the forecast for 2024 exports is reduced to 7,165 million pounds. Projected broiler exports would account for 15.3% of projected 2024 production.

Broiler imports totalled 15.2 million pounds in January, 3.6 million pounds over the same month last year. Imports from Chile totalled 11.2 million pounds, or 73.8% of broiler imports. The strength of imports supports the current 2024 broiler import projection of 215 million pounds, an increase of 84 million pounds over the 2023 total.