According to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), Brazilian chicken meat exports (fresh and processed) reached 4.8 million tonnes in 2022. The volume exported is a historic record and 4.6% above the total exported in 2021. In terms of value, 2022 exports reached USD 9.762 billion, up 27.4% year-on-year (y-o-y). With the Russia-Ukraine war and the higher number of bird flu cases in the EU, the international demand for the Brazilian chicken meat increased significantly. This led to a lower supply of slaughtered chicken throughout the year, raising the global chicken prices in 2022 compared to 2021 prices.
According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), chicken production in Ukraine, one of the world’s major suppliers of chicken meat to the EU, decreased 8.4% y-o-y in 2022. The lower volume of chicken available for export from Ukraine increased Brazilian chicken export potential. Also, the world economic crisis due to rising inflation favoured the Brazilian export of chicken meat in 2022 as consumers switched to cheaper sources of animal protein to control monthly spending. Many countries such as Mexico and South Africa suspended imports tariffs on chicken meat from Brazil, aiming to lower the negative effect of inflation on domestic economies. An increase in exports from countries such as South Korea (+63% y-o-y), Philippines (+49% y-o-y), Qatar (35% y-o-y) and Mexico (+31% y-o-y) offset export declines to China (-16% y-o-y), Japan (-4% y-o-y) and Saudi Arabi (-6% y-o-y).
Mintec price for Brazilian chicken reached BRL 8.4/kg, up 7.6% month-on-month (m-o-m) and 15.8% y-o-y in mid-January 2023.
