Argentina on the verge of recouping chicken exports

In February 2023, Argentina faced one of the worst nightmares for the poultry industry: avian flu, first in wild birds, then backyard flocks and finally in commercial production. Exports were impacted.

But the Argentinian poultry industry has been working hard. First, at the farm level, biosecurity led to farms declaring themselves free of avian flu by August 2023, which the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) recognized, and, secondly, due to the chore of recovering export markets.

As per an interview of Roberto Domenech, president of Centro de Empresas Procesadoras Avícolas (CEPA), 2024 has been a very good year. In the first nine months they reported a 9% increase in exports. They exported to 63 countries, and new markets have opened. The only market that has not been recovered is China, which used to be 38% of their exports. Next month, the presidents of Argentina and China are meeting in Brazil, with the hopes that trade will be recovered.

Below is an interactive chart showing Argentina’s top poultry export destinations in containers. The data derived from Datamar’s DataLiner only takes into account long-haul shipments, not cabotage or transshipment operations.

Top Poultry Export Destinations | Argentina | 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Domenech is aware that avian flu can happen again, but also that they need to get new markets as well as work with those countries that halted imports and switched to other suppliers. But he is also aware of specialty markets. Of the 27 Argentinian companies that export chicken, many saw sales of chicken feet. So, export activity means developing those specialty markets as well.

Another important issue, said Domenech, is that Argentina needs to work with one meat common front – chicken, beef, pork, all together – as does Brazil. These meats complement and potentiate each other, they do not compete.

There is no doubt that Argentina is moving to a different stage. Aviagen and Ross just announced that they are investing in efforts to recover the Argentinian market. They are rebuilding their breeder farm in Granja San Juan together with a new hatchery to produce 2.1 million breeders/year.

And although dryness and drought have impacted grain production, last week, showers were announced, which may recover fields.

Exports are a must, but let us also remember that Argentina is a large chicken eater, with almost 50 kg per capita (as well as 336 eggs!). So, the market is there, and if the economic situation improves, production will improve.

Source: WATTpoultry

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