São Paulo – Brazilian exports of poultry to the Middle East were 5% smaller in the first four months of the year in relation to the same period in 2013. By April, 452,200 tonnes were exported to the countries in the region, according to information released this Wednesday (14th) by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA, in the Portuguese acronym).
Exports of Brazilian poultry amounted to 1.314 million tonnes, volume 1.1% larger than in the same period last year. The revenue generated by these shipments, however, dropped 11.3% and amounted to US$ 2.56 billion. These exports comprise sales of chicken meat, turkey, ducks, eggs, genetic materials and fertile eggs. As regards chicken meat, the expansion this year is 1.5% in volume, to 1.259 million tonnes.
Though, in the year, sales to Middle East have dropped, the region is still the main buyer of Brazilian chicken meat. The second main client was Asia, with exports of 373,700 tonnes, volume 8.3% higher than in the first four months in 2013. The sales to Africa, the third largest destination, dropped 2.2% and amounted to 166,400 tonnes.
Among the countries, the main destination of chicken meat was Saudi Arabia, which imported 218,200 tonnes between January and April, volume 6.6% larger than in the first four months last year.
In April, volumes exported by the poultry industry amounted to 364,200 tonnes, up 2.8% over April 2013. Conversely, the revenue declined by 10.9%, to US$ 733.5 million.
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
