United States-Egg exports down.

UNITED STATES-Egg Exports Decline To 206 Million Dozen

Shipments of eggs and egg products fell to 206 million dozen in 2008, down 18 percent from a year earlier. Shipments to a number of the largest markets fell, with Japan down 18 percent, Hong Kong 33 percent, and Mexico 37 percent. Much of the decline can be attributed to very strong domestic prices for eggs especially in the first 3 to 4 months of 2008. However, shipments to Canada, our largest market, rose 1 percent to 47 million dozen.

The decline in overall egg exports was due to lower shipments of eggs for hatching and egg products as exports of eggs for consumption increased somewhat. Shell egg exports totaled approximately 113 million dozen, with the shipments almost evenly split between shell eggs for hatching and shell eggs for consumption. Egg product shipments totaled the equivalent of 93 million dozen in 2008, down 17 percent from the previous year.

Source: Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, USDA