Looking forward, we believe that the international markets will resume more demand for U.S. chicken as consumers become more fully aware that eating properly handled and cooked chicken has never been a human health issue, particularly as international supplies have been negatively impacted by efforts to control the spread of avian influenza in Asia, Europe and other locations. |
Looking past this quarter, we generally anticipate that market conditions will progress favorably as we move into summer, which is traditionally the case for our industry. |
Sales momentum during the Christmas holiday season in Mexico failed to live up to expectations and last year's performance. |
We attribute this drop in selling price primarily to the effects focus and concern over avian influenza has had on international demand for poultry products and to the disruptions caused by having to reroute product in transit to locations other than those intended as these concerns materialized. |