A trade mission to Japan and South Korea took place from November 6th through 11th. The program arranged by the American Egg Board (AEB) in conjunction with the USAPEEC was intended to promote the export of both shell eggs and egg products. Representatives of nine domestic egg producers participated in the trade mission led by Emily Metz CEO of the AEB. The team met with buyers for prospective and existing importers in both nations. The visit provided an opportunity to review egg handling facilities, retail outlets and industrial plants and strengthened ties with USDA-FAS representatives.
It is noted that exports were restrained in 2022 due to high prices and low availability following depletion of U.S. flocks due to HPAI. With current growing availability and lower prices, the U.S. is once more competitive especially with egg products for which there is a demand in both nations visited. Total U.S. exports through the first eight months of 2023 attained 59.2 million dozen shell eggs valued at $116 million and representing 1.0 percent of production. A total of 21,243 metric tons of egg products valued at $91 million were exported equivalent to 1.2 percent of total egg production. Japan and South Korea combined represented 0.9 percent of egg exports but 38.9 percent of egg products shipped during the first eight months of 2023.
The demand for both shell eggs and egg products is strongly conditioned by price and the demand in the countries visited. This in turn, is influenced by extraneous factors independent of the U.S. including HPAI in the respective countries that served as the driver for extensive imports by South Korea and Japan during their previous epornitics. Competition from other producing regions including India and the E.U. is growing, together with bilateral trade agreements that have reduced the landed price from E.U. nations.
We shall see the results of the delegation in future monthly exports to Japan and South Korea.