Exports of US poultry in 2014 reached 4.1 million metric tons, 0.4 per cent ahead of 2013, while value fell 0.3 per cent to $5.501 billion, according to year-end trade data released last week by the Foreign Agricultural Service.

The record exports came even after Russia enacted an embargo last August on most imports of food and agricultural products from the West in response to US, Europe and others over Russia’s activities in Ukraine.

Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), commented: “This record year demonstrates that the US industry has become much more diversified and is no longer dependent on one or two export markets. Only a few years ago, losing a market like Russia would have been devastating. Now, it barely caused a ripple.”

The combined value of US poultry and egg exports for 2014 came within less than one percentage point of the previous record, also set in 2013, reaching $5.838 billion, down just 0.2 per cent, the FAS data show.

Also, 2014 was a record year for exports of US eggs. Combined exports of table eggs and processed egg products, measured in shell-egg equivalents, increased by one per cent to 352.7 million dozen, while their value inched up 0.4 per cent to $336.75 million.

US broiler meat exports (excluding chicken paws) dipped by 0.6 per cent last year to 3.3 million tons, while value fell by four per cent to $4.063 billion. Top markets last year were Mexico, up nine per cent to 696,230 tons; Russia, down 48 per cent to 143,942 tons, thanks to the embargo; Angola, up 12 per cent to 231,717 tons; and Canada, down four per cent to 162,699 tons.

Other key broiler markets in 2014 were Cuba, 143,582 tons, up three per cent; Iraq (including trans-shipments via Turkey), 147,774 tons, down 10 per cent; China, 117,887 tons, down 10 per cent; Taiwan, 115,407 tons, up 20 per cent; Hong Kong, 105,445 tons, up 47 per cent and Georgia, 87,368 tons, up one per cent.

Exports of US chicken paws last year reached 312,851 tons valued at $441.9 million, up four and 19 per cent, respectively. Hong Kong accounted for 72 per cent of total US shipments of paws, while China accounted for 25 per cent. Paw exports to Hong Kong were up 122 per cent and shipments to China fell by 48 per cent.

US turkey export quantity in 2014 was the second-highest ever, rising by six per cent to 364,915 tons, surpassing the 2012 record. Export value, meanwhile, set a new benchmark, up 11 per cent to $766.8 million.

Key markets included Mexico, 230,990 tons, up 24 per cent; China, 27,573 tons, down 36 per cent; Canada, 10,336 tons, up two per cent; Benin, 6,570 tons, up 11 per cent and Hong Kong, 6,352 tons, up 12 per cent.

The top five markets for US turkey – Mexico, China, Canada, Benin and Hong Kong – captured 77 per cent of total export shipments in 2014, with Mexico alone accounting for 63 per cent.

For US table eggs, exports in 2014 were 196.9 million dozen valued at $198.39 million, up five and eight per cent, respectively, thanks largely to increased shipments to Canada. Exports reached an all-time high in both quantity and in value.

Shipments to Canada increased by 103 per cent to 79.8 million dozen. Other key markets were Hong Kong, 49.5 million dozen, down four per cent; Mexico, 43.9 million dozen, down 29 per cent; the European Union, 4.8 million dozen, down 44 per cent; and Trinidad and Tobago, 3.9 million dozen, up 39 per cent. The top five markets accounted for 92 per cent of the total table egg shipments last year.

Exports of processed US egg products dropped by nine per cent last year to $138.36 million. Export sales to Japan decreased by 19 per cent to $40.73 million, accounting for 29 per cent of US exports of egg products. Although exports to Mexico fell by 11 per cent to $33.64 million, shipments to Canada shot up by 40 per cent to $20.11 million.

USAPEEC promotes US poultry and egg exports through its network of 14 international offices.