The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised its projection for the export of broiler, turkey and eggs, following China’s decision to end a ban on imports of poultry from the United States.
The ban had been in place since 2015 over concerns about the possible spread of avian influenza, but the Chinese government lifted that ban on November 14.
In the USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, released on December 10, the agency raised its forecast for 2020 poultry-related exports from the projections it made in the November WASDE report.
Broiler estimates
The USDA raised its forecast for 2020 broiler exports to 7.43 billion pounds, up from the projection of 7.25 billion pounds estimated in the November WASDE report.
The forecast for 2019 broiler exports was unchanged at 7.04 billion pounds. According to the report, 7.07 billion pounds were exported in 2018.
Turkey estimates
The USDA raised its forecast for 2020 turkey exports to 680 million pounds, up from the projection of 660-million-pound estimate from the November WASDE report.
The forecast for 2019 turkey exports was also raised by the USDA. In its December WASDE report, the agency projected turkey exports would amount to 639 million pounds in 2019. The November WASDE report predicted turkey exports would be around 637 million pounds.
U.S. turkey exports reached 611 million pounds in 2018.
Egg estimates
In the December WASDE report, USDA estimated that 310 million dozen U.S. eggs would be exported in 2020, up from the November estimated of 300 million dozen eggs.
The agency’s forecast for 2019 U.S. egg exports was also raised in the December report, forecasting that 326.7 million dozen eggs would be exported. The November WASDE report forecast that 318.7 million dozen eggs would be exported from the United States.
According to USDA figures, 333.1 million dozen eggs were exported in 2018.
