Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 12/23/13

Broiler shipments in October 2013 increased 4.1 percent from a year earlier, totaling 675.5 million pounds, according to USDA.

Top export partners in October included Mexico, Russia, Angola, Canada and Cuba, with Mexico leading with 115.7 million pounds shipped in October, the agency explained in its most recent Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report.

The second highest export market was Russia with 55 million pounds shipped, followed by Angola with 47.5 million pounds. Canada and Cuba finished fourth and fifth, with exports totaling 35.2 and 29.7 million pounds, respectively.

Countries receiving significant increases in broiler shipments in October included Mauritania, Kosovo, Peru and Moldova, each receiving more than 1 million pounds in shipments and displaying greater than 250 percent increases from a year earlier.

On the opposite scale, notable countries experiencing drops in shipments include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Each country experienced drops greater than 65 percent compared with last October, with Zaire dropping the most, quantity-wise, receiving 1.46 million pounds in October as opposed to 5.95 million pounds last year, a 75.5 percent drop. Pakistan had the largest percentage drop, receiving only 63,000 pounds of broiler shipments in October compared with 652,000 pounds a year earlier, a 90.4 percent decline. China increased 10 percent, receiving 23.1 million pounds compared with 21 million pounds last October.

USDA forecasts 7.391 billion pounds of broiler exports for 2013, with 1.9 billion pounds forecast for the fourth quarter.

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