Poultry Production Value Up in U.S.

WASHINGTON - Apr 29/04 - SNS -- The total value of poultry product output on farms in the United States rose 14% in 2003 to an estimated $23.3 billion worth of broilers, eggs, turkeys and chickens, says the USDA.

Of the combined total, 65% was from broilers, 23% from eggs, 12% from turkeys, and less than 1% from other chickens.

The value of broilers produced during 2003 was $15.2 billion, up 13% from 2002. The total number of broilers produced in 2003 was 8.49 billion, down 1% from 2002. The total amount of live weight broilers produced in 2003 was 44.0 billion pounds, down slightly from 2002. The 2003 average price per pound on a live weight equivalent basis was 34.6 cents per pound, compared with 30.5 cents in 2002.

Value of all egg production in 2003 was $5.32 billion, up 24% from the $4.28 billion in 2002. Egg production totaled 87.2 billion eggs, down slightly from the 87.3 billion eggs produced in 2002. In 2003, all eggs averaged 73.1 cents per dozen, compared with 58.9 cents in 2002.

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