Bruno Bocchini
Reporter - Agência Brasil

São Paulo – The chicken export sector had its best year and set new records in 2005, reports the sector trade association (Associação Brasileira dos Produtores e Exportadores de Frangos) (Abef).

The association says a total of 2.84 million tons of chicken meat was exported (up 15% compared to 2004), worth US$3.5 billion (up 35%).

The forecast by the association is for a further increase of 5% to 10% this year.

The biggest buyer of Brazilian chicken in 2005 was the Middle East, with 848,500 tons, worth US$995.2 million; up 14% and 38%, respectively, compared to 2004. Asia was the second biggest buyer with 756,900 tons (up 20%), worth US$1.01 billion (up 34%). In Asia, Japan was the big buyer, with 404,700 tons worth US$693.4 million.

Although it is still a small market, it was the South American region where the biggest increase in volume of chicken exports occurred: up 39.5%, reaching 114,800 tons, worth US$119.3 million (up 81%).

Three other big markets for Brazilian chicken exports were: European Union (387,000 tons, worth US$728.2 million; Russia 258,100 tons, worth US$267.2 million; and Africa 191,700 tons, worth US$135.7 million.

Abef reports that an embargo which went into effect on December 13 on chicken imports from the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná by Russia did not affect the total.

Translation: Allen Bennett