Brazilian chicken meat exports totaled US$ 440 million in July, representing an increase of 106% compared with the same month of last year. A total of 284,000 tons were shipped, 53% more than in July 2006. The data were disclosed by the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef).
According to the Abef, rising exports are due to an increase in imports of the product by the Middle East and the European Union. The expressive percentage variation is also explained by the decrease in exports last year, when international chicken meat consumption was reduced as a consequence of avian flu in Europe and Asia.
In July alone, the Middle East imported from Brazil 88,160 tons of chicken meat, the equivalent of US$ 118.13 million. The European Union, on the other hand, imported 46,530 tons of the product, the equivalent of US$ 112 million.
From January until July this year, Brazilian exports of the product yielded US$ 2.58 billion, an increase of 54.6% over the same period in 2006. In all, 1.42 million tons were shipped, a rise of 28% over the same period of last year.
Volume-wise, the main market for the Brazilian product was the Middle East, with imports of 549,470 tons, followed by Asia, at 459,000 tons, and by the European Union, at 318,000 tons.
In a press release, the acting executive president at the Abef, Christian Lohbauer, estimated that Brazilian chicken meat exports should close 2007 with shipments of around 3 million tons, and revenues higher than US$ 4 billion, a record high for the sector.
Anba
