While beef and broiler meat exports surged in the first half of this year, egg exports plummeted 38 percent, turkey 20 percent and pork 18 percent, said USDA economists. Eggs and turkeys “were negatively impacted by the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, issued monthly.
“Monthly egg exports have been year-over-year lower since the beginning of the year,” said the USDA report. Bird flu, which appeared in early February, killed 5.5 percent of the U.S. laying flock. High prices also have discouraged egg exports, said the USDA. July was the first month that the number of egg-laying hens increased since the start of 2022. Table egg production in 2022 was forecast to be 2.6-percent lower than in 2021.
The drop in turkey exports “has been disproportionate to the drop in production due to HPAI and elevated prices,” said USDA economists. Growers were expect to produce 5.3 billion pounds of turkey meat this year, down by 4 percent from 2021. Exports were forecast at 406 million pounds this year and 415 million pounds in 2023. They were 548 million pounds in 2021.