Brazilian chicken meat production up in first half of 2014

The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) says that chicken meat production over the first six months of 2014 reached 6.09 million metric tons, an increase of 0.43 percent. Of this total, 4.19 million metric tons were destined for the home market, up 0.34 percent on the same period last year.
The association reports that exports by the sector, comprising chicken, turkey and other poultry meat and genetic material, reached 1.98 million metric tons, an increase of 0.1 percent. However by value there was a 9.6 percent contraction to US$3.96 billion.
Chicken meat dominates exports and volumes shipped, rising by 0.6 percent. However, by value, exports contracted by 9.2 percent to be worth US$3.72 million. Cuts continued to be the main export item and in volume terms rose by 3.4 percent. Exports of whole birds, however, fell by 3.4 percent.
Saudi Arabia continued to be the main market for Brazil’s poultry exports over the period followed by the European Union and Japan.
Brazilian exports of eggs, both whole and processed, over the first six months of this year contacted by 25 percent to 4.94 milllion metric tons. However, by value the contraction was far more marked – down by 40 percent – to stand at US$7.16 million.
More favorable exports conditions may be on the horizon for Brazilian producers and ABPA says that negotiations with Pakistan to import Brazilian chicken are in their final stages. The association further notes that five plants have been accredited by China for export this year and that at the recent meeting of BRIC heads of state, South Africa agreed to reverse its decision to raise tariffs on Brazilian exports from 27 percent to 82 percent.