STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. – Quantity and value of poultry exports set year-on-year records, according to Foreign Agricultural Service data compiled by the US Poultry & Egg Export Council.

Poultry exports for May rose 5 percent to 336,387 tons with a value of $460 million which is 13 percent higher compared to May 2011. This was the highest-ever value for poultry meat exports, USPEEC said.

Cumulative exports of broiler meat (excluding paws) rose by 13 percent to 1.33 million tons for January through May, while value increased 28 percent to reach $1.68 billion, up 28 percent from the comparable period in 2011, both setting year-on-year records.

US poultry meat exports for the first five months of 2012 rose 13 percent from the same period in 2011, reaching 1.66 million metric tons, while export value for the period climbed 24 percent to $2.22 billion, according to FAS data.

Exports of chicken paws in May were 32,319 tons valued at $44.2 million, up 9 and 2 percent compared to May 2011. Cumulative paw exports for the first five months were 163,518 tons, an increase of 20 percent year-on-year. Export value set a year-on-year record at $219.8 million, up 9 percent.

Cumulative turkey exports for the first five months of 2012 reached 139,183 tons, up 11 percent, with a value of $267.6 million, an increase of 23 percent from the comparable period in 2011. Both quantity and export values set year-on-year records, according to FAS data.

Total egg exports (table eggs plus egg products in shell egg equivalents) for the first five months of this year set year-on-year records in export quantity and export value. Total egg exports were 99.3 million dozen, up 6 percent from the same period in 2011, while export value reached $94.7 million, up 22 percent year over year.