Brazil exported around US$ 400 million in chicken meat during the month of May, an increase of 84.9% over the same month last year, according to information disclosed in São Paulo yesterday, June 18, by the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef).
These revenues are from exports of 274,000 tons of meat, i.e. 39.4% more than in May 2006.
Among the exports last month, the whole chickens sold are prominent for the revenues of US$ 120.5 million, 125.5% more than in the same period last year.
According to the acting executive president at the organization, Christian Lohbauer, the large percentage growth is due to the fact that sales fell in May 2006 due to avian flu in the European and Asian markets.
In the first five months of this year, Brazil exported 1.28 million tons of chicken, 22.6% more than in the period from January to May last year. Revenues were US$ 1.75 billion, 41.3% more in the same comparison. Most prominent are sales of industrialised chicken, which reached US$ 188.6 million, 80.3% more than in the same period in 2006.
The main destinations for Brazilian chicken this year were the Middle East and Asia, which purchased the equivalent to 400,000 tons (US$ 467 million) and 322,000 tons (US$ 429 million) in the last five months.
However, the evolution of both markets has been very different, as this year the consumption of chicken in the Middle East has grown 59.5%, whereas in Asia, just 0.2%, over last year.
ABr
