Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor | May 14, 2012 1:25PM EDT
U.S. poultry exports in the first quarter set records for quantity and value, according to the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service.
Exports of U.S. poultry from January through March rose 14 percent year-over-year to 984,947 metric tons. The value of those shipments jumped 27 percent to $1.302 billion.
Exports during March also set quantity and value records — 339,220 tons, up 9.3 percent from March 2011, and $343.2 million, up 21.8 percent.
First quarter exports of broiler meat, excluding paws, totaled 787,722 tons, up 14 percent, and $796.3 million, up 31 percent. Exports of chicken paws totaled 101,544 tons, up 29 percent, and $134.5 million, up 14 percent. Turkey exports totaled 82,053 tons, up 13 percent, and $160.5 million, up 28 percent.
Mexico was the top market for broiler meat exports, buying 128,274 tons. Exports to Russia jumped 91 percent, and exports to Cuba climbed fourfold to 45,072 tons.
Contact Joseph Bonney at jbonney@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JosephBonney.
