U.S. exports of eggs (table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalent) have held a strong pace so far this year, with January through April exports rising 31.2% in volume to 96.8 million doz. and value rising 26.5% to $80.9 million compared to the same period in 2019. The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) reported that the gains have been fueled by lower export prices for egg products.

For the first four months of this year, USAPEEC reported that exports of table eggs alone increased 10.9% to 42.9 million doz. compared to the same period in 2019. Export value was $43.2 million, a rise of 26.6%. “Following previous patterns, more than 90%, or 39.6 million doz., eggs went to the top six export markets: Bahamas, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel and the [United Arab Emirates].”

Despite the overall gains, USAPEEC said table egg exports in April equaled 11.4 million doz., down 10.2% from a year ago, due to a decrease in shipments to Canada. However, export value increased 32.4% to $12.4 million as a result of higher prices.

Exports to Mexico spiked 356% to 4.6 million doz., with other notable export increases to the Bahamas, Haiti, Hong Kong and Israel. In addition to Canada, exports to the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands Antilles and Panama declined.

Meanwhile, egg product exports during the first four months of 2020 totaled 14,420 metric tons, an increase of 50.2% compared to the same period in 2019. Export value also rose, jumping 26.3% to reach $37.8 million. USAPEEC reported that 82.1% of egg product exports ($31 million) went to the top six markets of Canada, Chile, the European Union-27 (plus the U.K.), Japan, Mexico and South Korea.

According to USAPEEC, egg product exports in April equaled 3,897 mt, up 48.4% versus April 2019, while export value pushed up 27.6% to $9.5 million due mostly to an increase in exports to Mexico. Marked monthly export increases were recorded in sales to Japan, which were up 11.4% to $2.9 million, as well as to Mexico, rising 181% to $2.8 million. Other positive numbers were seen in egg product exports to Canada, Chile, the EU-27 (plus the U.K.), Panama, Taiwan and South Korea, while export value declined notably in shipments to Australia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Qatar, Trinidad & Tobago and the UAE.