Total world exports from the United States reached 22 million dozen, which is only 50 percent of the 43.7 million dozen exported in the first half of 2007. Unit value for the six month period increased to 90 cents per dozen from a value of 78 cents per dozen in 2007. Total value of exports declined from $34.1 million to $19.7 million, reflecting the lower volume of shipments. Exports to Canada increased by 146 percent from 3.9 million dozen to 9.7 million dozen with a 178 percent increase in value from $3.4 million to $9.3 million and a corresponding 10 percent increase in unit revenue to 96 cents per dozen. Shipments to Hong Kong slipped by 60 percent from 14.7 million dozen to 6 million dozen when comparing the first half of 2008 to 2007.
Exports of egg products remained essentially stable with 15,640 metric tons shipped in the first half of 2008 compared to 16,642 during the first half of 2007. Volume of egg products increased by 12 percent with a higher unit price of $2,730/ton ($2,358/ton in 2007), compensating for the 4 percent decline in total volume for the first six months of 2008. Japan, Canada, and Germany represented 56 percent of shipments during the first half of 2008 compared to 51 percent of the total for the corresponding period in 2007.
