From the Newsroom*
São Paulo – Brazilian chicken exports to the Middle East yielded US$ 573.8 million in the first half of the current year, an increase of 83.25% in comparison with the same period of 2006. The shipped volume reached 461,800 tonnes, a 56.2% increase over the first six months of last year. The figures were disclosed yesterday (16) by the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef).
The rise in sales to the Middle East and the European Union was the main contributing factor to the 47% growth in total chicken exports from Brazil, which reached the record high value of US$ 2.145 billion in the first half of 2007.
Despite the fact that the Middle East already is the main market for Brazilian chicken in terms of shipped volume, the region was the destination that grew the most, both in revenues and in volume, in the first six months this year.
The countries in the region that imported the most during the period were Saudi Arabia, with US$ 209 million in imports, an increase of 32% in comparison with the first half of 2006; the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 128.7 million, 112% more; Kuwait (US$ 75 million, an increase of 100%); Yemen (US$ 39.2 million, 78% up); and Qatar (US$ 25.3 million, 110.8% more).
The European Union ranked second among the markets that grew the most in the first half, with imports at US$ 576.7 million, 81.24% more than in the same period of 2006. Total shipments amounted to 271,500 tonnes, an increase of 53.7% in comparison with the first six months last year.
Revenues from exports to Africa rose by 14.54%, to reach US$ 96.4 million in the first half of the year. The volume shipped, though, decreased by 11.82% to stand at 113,400 tonnes.
Asia ranked fourth in the growth ranking, with revenues of US$ 529 million, 12.57% more than in the first half of 2006. Total shipments were 388,200 tonnes, an increase of 2.71% over the same period last year.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
