U.S. turkey exports for the first four months of 2026 set a record in value and egg exports posted a gain in volume, but broiler exports decreased from the same period a year earlier, according to new trade data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
While U.S. total broiler exports for the first four months of this year were down due largely to decreased shipments to Cuba and Taiwan, other export markets such as Vietnam, Haiti, Turkmenistan, Ghana, Gambia, Angola, Dominican Republic, Mauritania, Hong Kong, Congo (Kinshasa), Colombia, South Africa, Nicaragua, and Qatar showed noteworthy gains in broiler exports from the same month a year ago.
Broiler exports for the first four months of this year were 1,003,301 metric tons, down 1.8 percent from the same period of last year, while export value was $1.445 billion, down 5.6 percent (Figure 1). Of the total shipment, 49.9 percent or 500,910 tons were exported to the top six markets, including Mexico, Cuba, Philippines, Canada, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Exports to Mexico in January-April 2026 were 225,080 metric tons, down 3.7 percent from the same period a year earlier. During the same period, Brazilian chicken exports to Mexico were 70,812 metric tons, up 1.1 percent year over year, while Chilean chicken exports to Mexico were 6,456 metric tons, down 27.8 percent.
Exports to Cuba decreased by 27.8 percent to 63,427 metric tons, while shipments to the Philippines dropped by 2.5 percent to 59,322 tons. Exports to other important markets were Canada, 55,510 tons, down 2.4 percent; Vietnam, 51,241 tons, up 47.6 percent; Taiwan, 46,330, down 33.1 percent; Guatemala, 44,977 tons, down 1.5 percent; Haiti, 35,775 tons, up 72.5 percent; Angola, 35,610 tons, up 29.8 percent; Ghana, 33,931 tons, up 40.5 percent.
Cumulative turkey exports for the first four months of this year were 64,903 metric tons, up 13.1 percent from the same period a year earlier, while export value set a record at $310.3 million, up 41.3 percent (Figure 2). The increase in export value is due in part to increased exports of value-added turkey products such as prepared turkey meals and turkey sausages and franks. Of the total quantity exported, 90.4 percent or 58,688 metric tons were exported to the top six markets, including Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica, with Mexico alone accounting for 82.8 percent or 53,746 metric tons.
Total egg exports (table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalent) for the first four months of 2026 increased by 5.9 percent to 50.6 million dozen. The value of those exports decreased by 61.7 percent to $79.1 million.
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