Total U.S. egg exports (shell eggs and egg products) were the equivalent of 23.9 million dozen in August, down 1 percent from 2011, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture report.
Most of the decline was due to smaller exports to major markets such as Canada, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan, but the reduction was also partially offset by higher exports to a number of European countries and Mexico. Egg production in Mexico has been heavily affected by an outbreak of avian influenza in Jalisco, its chief egg producing State. A large number of laying hens were destroyed and available supplies were greatly reduced.
U.S. shipments of shell eggs for consumption to Mexico totaled 760,000 dozen in August, up from only 23,000 dozen in August 2011, according to the USDA. U.S. shell egg exports to Mexico in August also included over 500,000 dozen hatching eggs. Shell egg exports for consumption to Mexico are expected to continue to be well above year-earlier levels for the next several months into 2013, as it will take some time for Mexican producers to rebuild their flocks to previous levels.
For more information and statistics on U.S. eggs, see www.wattagnet.com/marketdata.html.
