LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
Jim Sumner believes that con
sumption of poultry has peaked in
the U.S., but that doesn’t mean
there is no room for expansion in
the poultry industry.
“Ninety-six percent of the
world’s consumers are outside of
the U. 5..” said Sumner who is
president of the US.A. Poultry &
Egg Export Council with head
quarters in Georgia.
At the Producer Day held Thurs
day at the Northeast Poultry Show,
Sumner said, “Poultry exports
have tripled in value in the last five
years. Exports will support conti
nual expansion if we are prepared
to battle politics, to provide a qual
ity product, and to make a commit
ment to marketing,” he said.
‘This year’s totals are right on
target to hit an all-time high of $2.6
billion,” said Sumner.
Exports mean mote dollars in
poultry producers pockets even if
they aren’t personally involved in
the export business, according to
Sumner.
A three percent increase in egg
exports results in IS cents per
dozen more for egg producers
because of the increased demand.
Without exports, the U.S. would
have over production, according to
Sumner.
He reminded producers that leg
quarters had been selling for 18
cents per pound and are now at S 3
cents a pound.
Sumner attributes that price
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Poultry Exports Triple And
increase to the overwhelming
demand for leg quarters that pri
marily comes from Russia, which,
last year, imported 674,000 metric
tons of leg quartos.
Because of exports to Hong
Kong, poultry producers arc being
paid 45 cents a pound for chicken
feet compared to only one to two
cents a few years ago.
“We’re setting the pace for the
world,” Sumner said of the U.S.’s
export expansion. The U.S. is the
lowest cost producer of poultry in
the world.”
While some people blame the
U.S. for putting Russian poultry
producers out of business, Sumner
refutes that by pointing out that the
Russians bought their own demise
upon themselves during the Com
munist regime when facilites
became outdated and over staffed.
“We supply the lowest price
protein their (Russian) money can
buy. If the U.S. wasn’t supplying
them, another country would be,”
he said.
Even if the Russians were given
the money to update their coun
try’s poultry industry, Sumner said
that it would take at least 10 years
before they could meet their own »
demand for poultry.
However, Sumner concedes,
that it is a bit unnerving to have
Russia and China as the U.S.’s
largest poultry importers. Last
year 60 percent of imports went to
Russia and China, which are
known for their volatile natures.
He referred to Russia’s ban of
imports from the U.S. earlier this
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year. The ban lasted only a month
despite Russian threats, but Sum
ner said that a mistake on the part
of this country gave the Russians
an opportunity to complain about
everything.
Sumner explained that impro
perly frozen poultry was shipped
by mistake. When the meat
arrived, it was spoiled.
A U.S. task force of processors
was immediately formed to resol
ve the problem.
Although Sumner said, that he
isn’t a Democrat, he believes that
the problem wouldn’t have been
resolved as quickly if any person
other than Clinton had been in
office as President. It helps that
Clinton is a personal friend of the
poultry industry in Arkansas, he
said facetiously.
Sumner believes that politics
plays a definite role in marketing
and exporting.
The trade problem with Russia
showed some positive signs,
according to Sumner. These
included the government asking
the poultry industry how to handle
the problems instead of dictating
what should be done. It demon
strated an increased awareness of
the export business upon the eco
nomy. the need to take quality con
trol seriously, and it made the gov
ernment better negotiators.
Turkey and egg exports are
growing but not as quickly as
broiler exports. About 60 percent
of egg exports are in processed
form rather than table eggs. Many
countries are astounded by pow-
UhcMtw Fanning, Saturday, 'SapMibar 21,' 18M-A27
During Poultry Days, Jim Sumner, right, talks about poul
try exports with Poultry Federation president John Hoff
man, center, and Dr. Norman Stern, who spoke about
research on eliminating salmonella.
dered eggs and the many egg pro
ducts available.
In five years, turkey exports
have grown from 31,000 to
122,000 metric tons. Mexico is the
number one market for turkey
exports. Although the market has
steadily grown, the collapse of the
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peso has caused a drop in export
revenues from Mexico.
While Sumner wholeheartedly
believes in the future of exports, he
stressed that it takes a commitment
on the part of producers and indus
try to make expansion a reality.
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