Brazil’s chicken meat market remains strong as exports expand

BRAZIL – Brazil’s poultry market continues to show resilience, even during the typically slow end-of-the-month period, when consumer purchasing power tends to dip. 

Despite this, chicken prices remained stable at their highest levels since November 2022, as reported by the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (Cepea) in late November.

The steady prices are attributed to the growing competition between chicken and other meats, particularly beef and pork, which have experienced significant price hikes in recent weeks.

In addition to the strong domestic market, Brazil’s poultry industry is making strides internationally. 

The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) announced that Brazilian chicken meat has entered the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a development confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).

Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the Balkans with a population of approximately 3.2 million people, has a per capita income of about US$8,500, according to World Bank data. 

With a large rural population, the country has one of the highest chicken consumption rates in the region, averaging 19.7 kilograms per person per year. 

Overall, FAOSTAT estimates the country consumes 72,000 metric tons of chicken annually, with 13,300 metric tons imported, mostly from European nations.

Ricardo Santin, president of ABPA, expressed optimism about the opportunities this new market offers to Brazilian exporters. 

In 2023, Brazil produced 14.9 billion kilograms of poultry meat, an increase from 14.5 billion kilograms in 2022, according to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) data. 

Projections for 2024 suggest production could reach 15 million metric tons, with a further rise expected in 2025.

Brazil remains the world’s leading exporter of chicken meat, having shipped 5.14 million metric tons in 2023, valued at US$8.97 billion. 

Domestic consumption for the same period is estimated at 10.06 million metric tons, with a slight decline to 10.02 million metric tons expected in 2024.

Though Brazil dominates global poultry production, it also imports small quantities of chicken.

In 2022, imports totaled 4.8 metric tons, primarily from Argentina and Chile. The figure is anticipated to rise to nearly 5,000 metric tons in 2023, according to FAS projections.

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