By Jennifer Whitlock
Field Editor

U.S. chicken and egg exports hatched new records in the first six months of the year, with the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) predicting a strong performance through the remainder of 2021.

Broiler exports for January through June set a new high of 1,856,027 metric tons (MT)—or a 6.8% increase over the same time frame last year—according to trade data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Value increased 21.1%, as well.

“Despite all of the issues that our industry has had to face over the last year and more, the export side has come through in record-setting fashion,” USAPEEC President Jim Sumner said. “This is a testament to the capabilities and efforts of our industry, and it speaks to the needs and desires of consumers around the world for U.S. poultry and eggs. Chicken is the world’s leading meat protein, and eggs are a fundamental part of the diet of many people.”

Cuba and the Philippines both imported more U.S.-raised broilers than ever before in terms of volume and value, while Mexico and China set new value bests for the first half of the year.

After a five-year ban on chicken feet was lifted in 2020, exports to China surged, USAPEEC said. Domestically, chicken feet typically go to rendering, but they are popular as snacks and main ingredients in traditional Chinese cooking.

Nearly 60% of the chicken sent to China from January to June was in the form of chicken feet. That translates to about 130,212 MT.

Cubans clamored for American poultry, too. Chicken exports to Cuba rose 96.6% percent, an all-time record. USAPEEC noted Cuba’s gains would likely have been even larger, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the country’s tourism industry and economy considerably.

Egg exports were fueled by demand from South Korea, Canada, Mexico and Hong Kong. Table egg exports for the first half of 2021 were 98.6 million dozen, another record. Total U.S. egg exports hit 170 million dozen, an 18% increase over the same time last year.

Table egg exports set a new volume record and in terms of value, the first half of 2021 was the second-highest ever. South Korean egg imports from the U.S. set new records in both volume and value, USAPEEC added.