Over the course of 2023, Brazil was moving towards breaking its own chicken export record. As year-end approached, it finally did it – the country ended up with 5.14 million metric tons (MT) of chicken exports, both fresh and processed. This means a 6.6% increase year over year. In 2022 they exported 4.82 million MT. Quite an achievement!
Not only that, but December 2023 also had the second highest-ever exported monthly volume of chicken – 467,200 MT, almost 25% more than in November (the first one was March of 2023 with 514,600 MT). So, a darn pretty good year. The same results are expected for 2024!
We have to consider that Brazil was also in the news this year. While the avian flu virus spread all over South America like wildfire, it finally landed in Brazilian territory this past year for the first time in recorded history. Many were expecting a catastrophe in world chicken trade, as it has happened in other countries. But it didn’t. The virus stayed “confined” in wild birds and did not cross the border to the poultry industry.
There were other hurdles – market variations and high production costs. However, the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) and the Brazilian government authorities worked hand in hand to enter more markets and expand the ones they had.
Paraná is the largest broiler producer state in the country and the largest exporter. During 2023, Paraná exported 2.09 million MT. This means 40.7% of total Brazilian exports. And this state registered 13 cases of avian flu in wild birds up until November 2023. Authorities moved fast, even forbidding circulation of commercial birds in coastal regions, where affected wild birds were detected.
As per ABPA’s data, Japan was the main Brazilian chicken exports destination, followed by China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. In the Americas, Mexico was its largest importer.
Finally, ABPA President Ricardo Santin said that “these good results mean that the world trusts the work of excellence in poultry biosecurity done by the Brazilian poultry industry.” No doubt.
What do you think?
