Despite China Returning to Market, Turkey Exports Falling

WASHINGTON, DC – Though Americans enjoy turkey, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, exports provide producers with roughly 10 percent of market demand. According to the Economic Research Service (ERS), exporters sent the majority of turkey shipments to Mexico, though China has finally re-emerged as a buyer for the first time since 2014. Despite this new growth market, turkey exports in 2020 fell from 2019 levels as global demand decreased and domestic production declined year over year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2010 and 2014, China’s share of U.S. turkey exports averaged about 11 percent, or around 81 million pounds while their share last year was around 7 percent or 38 million pounds. The new demand from China in 2020 did not make up for falling demand for turkey as exports to Mexico were 22 million pounds below 2019 and exports to the rest of the world declined by 83 million pounds. Total turkey exports are forecast at 570 million pounds this year, which would be a slight decrease from 2020.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)