The Uruguayan Wool Secretariat updated data on sheep exports: they generated more than US$ 100 million between January and June 2024.
In the initial semester of 2024, foreign exchange earnings to Uruguay from general sheep exports were 17% lower than those of the same period in 2023, reaching US$ 108.3 million, the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat updated this week ( SUL).
WOOL AND BY-PRODUCTS: US$ 72.8 MILLION
Based on data provided by the SUL – in all cases these are figures for completed exports provided by the National Customs Directorate (DNA) – in the case of the wool and by-products sub-item there was a slight drop of 1.6 %, accumulating US$ 72.8 million.
Measured in dollars, the main destinations were China (46% of the total achieved) and Italy (15%).
Revenue from dirty wool grew 72% (US$25.7 million), washed wool revenue increased 20% (US$11.6 million) and tops revenue fell 27% (US$29.6 million).
Measured in volume, 20.7 million kilos of general wool (dirty, washed and combed) were placed, 39% more than in January-June of last year.
EXPORT MODE
- Dirty wool 9.2 million kilos (+115%) with China (93%) and Italy (3%) as the main markets, measured in dollars.
- Washed wool 4.8 million kilos (+88%) with China (60%) and India (11%) as the main markets (by amount).
- Tops 6.7 million kilos (-17%) with Italy (31%) and Germany (25%) as the main markets, in dollars.
SHEEP MEAT: US$ 35.3 MILLION
In the other main sub-item, 8.7 million kilos of frozen bone-in sheep meat were exported (-35%) in exchange for US$ 35.3 million (-37%).
Brazil with 36% and China with 22% were the main destinations (measured in dollars).
If divided based on the type of meat, in January-June the placement of bone-in sheep meat reported a total of US$ 28.2 million and boneless sheep meat US$ 5.6 million, with a marginal participation of by-products, chilled meats with and without bones and others.
THE DATA
In January-June 2024, the participation of wool and by-products remains above the participation of sheep meat within the total of Uruguayan sheep exports, with 67.3% and 33.7%, respectively, with an impact very low number of live sheep and sheep skins.
THE BEST RECORD HAPPENED IN 2018
Exports of wool and byproducts registered in 2023, compared to 2022, a drop of 23% (totaling US$ 128.5 million) and those of meat a drop of 14% (US$ 90.8 million).
Considering all the items (those mentioned plus others with a lower incidence such as live sheep and sheep skins), in 2023 US$ 219.7 million were received with a decrease of 19% compared to 2022.
The best record dates back to 2018 with US$327.4 million achieved by total sheep exports, with the lowest amount in 2020, US$186.9 million.
Based on data from the Mystery of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), obtained from the sworn statements of the producers, in 2023, 5,851,177 sheep were counted in the Uruguayan country in the hands of 21,434 holders.
