Canadian chicken farmers are receiving the lowest prices in seven years but Canadian consumers still pay significantly higher prices than their American counterparts.
Figures compiled by Chicken Farmers of Canada indicate that in July, Canadian consumers paid between $3.87 per kilogram (eviscerated) in Toronto to $4.95 in Charlottetown.
In the United States, according to CFC figures, the average retail price for whole chicken was $3.43 (Canadian) per kg.
The comparison does not take into account the lower average income of consumers in the U.S. and the portion of disposable income devoted to food purchases.
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Meanwhile, the chicken lobby reported a boom in both domestic production, imports and exports.
By Aug. 14, production in Canada had increased by close to seven percent over last year totals. The largest expansion came on the Prairies, where chicken production through the first seven months of the year increased between 11.7 percent in Alberta and 17 percent in Saskatchewan.
At the same time, imports of chicken parts increased 7.3 percent to Aug. 14. Total imports were 44 million kg. Imports accounted for more than eight percent of domestic production.
Exports also increased 4.2 percent to 24 million kg. It represents a 50 percent increase in exports during the past two years.
