POULTRY

POULTRY continues to be one of Virginia's most valuable commodities, contributing sales of
789 million to the economy in 2001.  This was nearly a 6 percent increase compared with the
745 million in sales generated in 2000.  

The number of commercial BROILERS raised in Virginia increased in 2001 to 271.5 million. 
Production totaled nearly 1.33 billion pounds compared to the 1.30 billion pounds produced in
2001.  Total value of broilers in Virginia totaled $518.9 million, up nearly 18 percent compared
to 2000.  Virginia ranks 8th in the nation in broilers produced.  

TURKEY production decreased in 2001 to 530.4 million pounds compared to 553.4 million pounds 
produced in 2000.  The number of turkeys raised also decreased 6 percent to 24 million.  The
value of Virginia's turkey production declined 15 percent to $206.9 million, down from $237.9 
million in 2000.  Virginia ranks 5th in the nation in turkeys produced.

Virginia EGG production totaled 766 million in 2001, down nearly 8 percent from the 824 million 
eggs produced in 2000.  With the decrease in production, the value of eggs also decreased to
$61.3 million, compared to $66.1 million in 2000.  The average price per dozen eggs was down by 
less than a percent from 2000.  Producers averaged 96.1 cents per dozen which was the second best
price received since 1996. 


POULTRY PRODUCTION, DISPOSITION, AND INCOME, 1997-2001 1/

                             Unit          1997        1998    1999         2000       2001

 Eggs		
  Eggs Produced	          millions	      806       860	   845	      824        766	
  Price Per Dozen 2/	     cents	     95.1       93.3	  88.5	     96.3       96.1	
  Value of Production   thous.dols.	   63,876     66,865	62,319	   66,126     61,344	
								
 Commercial Broilers 3/	
  Number Raised	 	thous. head	  259,400    263,300	268,700	  264,900    271,500	
  Pounds Produced	 thous. lbs.	1,219,200  1,263,800  1,316,600	1,298,000  1,330,400	
  Price Per Pound 4/	      cents	     36.5	38.5	   36.0	     34.0	39.0	
  Value of Production5/ thous. dols.	  445,008    486,563	473,976	  441,320    518,856	
								
 Turkeys			
  Number Raised 6/	 thous. head	   26,000     26,000	 24,000	   25,500     24,000	
  Pounds Produced	 thous. lbs.	  504,400    533,000	525,600	  553,350    530,400	
  Price Per Pound 7/	       cents	     39.0       39.0	   42.0	     43.0	39.0	
  Value of Production 5/ thous. dols.	   196,716   207,870	220,752	  237,941    206,856	
								
 Chickens 8/	
   Number Sold 	         thous. head	    3,210      2,867	  3,182	    3,243      2,943	
   Pounds Sold	         thous. lbs.	   14,766     17,775	 19,728	   18,485     20,012	
   Price Per Pound	       cents	     11.0        7.0	    8.0	      6.5        7.5	
   Value of Production5/ thous. dols.	    1,624      1,244	  1,578	    1,202      1,501	

1/ Annual estimates cover the period from Dec. 1 the previous year through Nov. 30.
2/ Average of all eggs sold by producers, including hatching eggs.
3/ Broiler production including other domestic meat-type breeds.
4/ Price per pound liveweight equivalent prices, derived from ready-to-cook (RTC) prices using
   the following formula; RTC price minus processing cost X d(dressing percentage)= Liveweight 
   equivalent price.
5/ includes home consumption.
6/ Based on turkeys placed Sept. 1, previous yer through August 31, current year.  Excludes young 
   turkeys lost.
7/ Prices are equivalent live weight returns to producers.
8/ Estimates cover the 12 month period from Dec. 1, the previous year through Nov. 30 and 
   excludes broilers.