Brazil accounts for 90% of global poultry meat trade

The RaboResearch report says that now 90% of the world trade in poultry meat is accounted for by Brazil, the leading exporter in this sector.

In the five-year perspective, the experts of Rabobank Group expect further growth of the global poultry industry at the level of 1-2% per year. Obstacles are the spread of zoonoses, rising feed costs, geopolitical tensions, the emphasis of emerging markets on food security in developing markets and the limited number of new markets.

Rabobank estimates global poultry meat turnover at $32 billion ($48 billion including trade within the European Union). The dominant countries are Brazil, USA, EU, Thailand and China.

Brazil leads with a 30% share in value terms. It is followed by the US and the EU (16% each), with the UK’s exit from the EU strengthening its position, turning the trade flow between EU countries and the UK into a global one. In fourth place is Thailand (13%). It is followed by China, Turkey, Ukraine and rf. Analysts attribute Brazil’s success to competitive price advantages and strategic diversification of export markets.

Poultry imports increased in China, Mexico, the UK and the Philippines, while Saudi Arabia and South Africa decreased.

The average export price of poultry meat increased from $1400 per ton in 2024 to $2400 per ton in 2025. The drivers of the price increase were inflation, rising production and logistics costs, consumers switching to deep-processed products and Brexit. Thailand leads in export value, followed by China and Chile, with the EU in fourth position. The largest exporter, Brazil, is somewhere in the middle by this criterion.

Rabobank predicts that Brazil will continue to increase its share of the poultry market, while Thailand and China will accelerate in the same direction. Russia and Ukraine are also likely to increase their market presence. Argentina is likely to re-emerge as a major exporter, while Paraguay, Vietnam, Colombia and South Africa are among the new significant global players in this sector.

Russia and Ukraine could also expand their presence in the market, and Argentina could become a major exporter again if economic conditions stabilize. New players such as these could gradually gain a foothold in global trade.

Tags: Brazil, chicken