European Union chicken exports are losing out to more competitively priced products from Brazil, according to an article published by The Poultry Site.
In 2023, EU chicken exports fell by 1,8%, driven by lower sales to two of its major markets – the Democratic Republic of Congo and Saudi Arabia, the publication said.
Its information came from a recent report by the US Department of Agriculture’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN).
Even though EU export prices to Saudi Arabia decreased by 7% in 2023, prices were still 16% higher than in 2021.
“By comparison, in 2023, the Saudi import price for Brazilian chicken meat fell by 23%. Overall, with rising production costs across the EU, EU chicken meat exports are now generally less competitive, especially in African markets.”
The article said bird flu outbreaks would probably continue to impact EU chicken meat exports.
“While EU chicken meat production costs have stabilised due to lower energy and feed prices, competition from less expensive Ukrainian chicken meat will continue to constrain opportunities for export. Thus, EU chicken meat exports are expected to remain flat at 2023 levels,” it concluded.
