Revenues from Brazilian poultry exports increased by 19.7 per cent in 2011 compared with 2010, reports Brazil-Arab News Agency. Last year, the country exported the equivalent of US$8.85 billion in poultry products – an all-time high.

In terms of volume, 4.118 million tonnes were shipped, 2.3 per cent more than in 2010. The figures were announced by the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef) during a press conference at the organisation’s headquarters in São Paulo.

The growth in exports was driven by chicken, whose sales increased by an even higher rate than the general industry’s. Chicken exports increased by 21.2 per cent in revenue (US$8.253 billion) and 3.2 per cent in volume (3.942 million tonnes) as against 2010. The price of chicken was the main contributing factor to the different between the increases in revenues and volume. The average chicken export price last year was US$2,093 per tonne, 17.4 per cent more than in the preceding year.

“The behaviour of the dollar was challenging for the industry last year,” said Ubabef president, Francisco Turra. “When the dollar was low [relative to the Brazilian currency, the real], we had to struggle to raise prices in dollars. Then the currency went down, and we had to struggle to lower prices in dollars,” he said.

Despite the increase in exports, Mr Turra said the industry was excited about the domestic market. In 2011, per-capita chicken consumption in Brazil averaged at 47.4kg, 7.48 per cent more than in 2010. “The domestic market remains our leading market,” he said. Sure enough, the domestic market accounted for 69.8 per cent of chicken production in 2011, whereas 30.2 per cent was exported.

Egg exports decreased in both revenues and volume. Brazilian egg exports dropped by 31 per cent (US$28.2 million) in terms of revenues and by 40 per cent (16,600 tonnes) in terms of volume compared with 2010. Turkey exports reached 141,200 tonnes, representing a 10.5 per cent decline in volume shipped, however revenues increased by 4.7 per cent and reached US$444.6 million. The average export price for turkey in 2011 was US$3,149 per tonne, 17 per cent more than in 2010.

Exports of duck, goose and other birds reached 1,640 tonnes, 61.2 per cent less than in 2010. Revenues dropped by 40.2 per cent and reached US$6.99 million. Despite the decline in sales of these products, their average price rose by 54 per cent compared with 2010, reaching US$4.274 per tonne.