São Paulo – Brazilian poultry exports have increased in shipped volume January-on-January. Revenues, however, have dropped. The Middle East remains the leading importing region, as per results released this Wednesday (19th) by the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef). The United Arab Emirates were the leading importer of eggs from Brazil.
According to a communiqué issued by the Ubabef, Brazil exported 299,700 tonnes of poultry in January, up 3.2% from January 2013. Revenues amounted to US$ 565.7 million, down 4.4% from January 2013.
The Middle East countries imported a combined 111,000 tonnes, up 4.2% from January 2013. According to the Ubabef markets director Ricardo Santin, the leading Middle Eastern importers in January were Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Yemen, Qatar and Oman. “The prices were influenced by the exchange rate and by increased supply in the region,” he said. Ubabef chairman Francisco Turra has said, in the communiqué, that “isolated adjustments have taken place in whole-chicken markets.” Whole chicken is the most shipped product from Brazil to the leading importing countries.
Exports to Asia amounted to 92,400 tonnes, up 12.3%, and exports to Africa stood at 37,200 tonnes, down 7.9%. The European Union imported 36,100 tonnes (up 1.9%), the Americas imported 16,800 tonnes (down 9.8%) and non-EU countries in Europe imported a combined 5,900 tonnes (down 15%).
Overall, Brazilian poultry export revenues amounted to US$ 608 million, down 5.61% from January 2013. The figure includes chicken, eggs, turkey, ducks, chicks, fertile eggs and genetic material. Shipped volume stood at 314,300 tonnes, up 2.55% from January 2013.
Egg exports amounted to 2,000 tonnes. Of these, 1,580 tonnes went to the Emirates. The country’s imports were up 20% January-on-January. “Exports to the United Arab Emirates have accounted for the bulk of egg sales,” the Ubabef chairman said in the communiqué. Overall, however, egg exports were down 17%.
Santin said egg sales to the Emirates have increased because Angola, formerly the leading importer, has cut down on its imports. As a result, farmers had to diversify their exports. Still, Santin said the industry plans on increasing its sales to Angola again, raising the number of eggs exported, and diversifying its clients.
“In addition to seeking new clients other than Angola, which was our leading buyer, we want to raise our shipped volumes, and to sell to various countries,” said Santin. Presently, egg exports account for 1% of total poultry exports from Brazil. The goal for this is to double egg sales.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
