Brazil’s chicken meat exports surge by 4.2% in May, defying revenue dip

Brazilian chicken meat exports, encompassing both fresh and processed products, reached 451,000 tonnes in May, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). This figure marks a 4.2% increase compared to the same period last year, which saw 433,300 tonnes shipped.

Despite the volume growth, revenue from chicken meat sales fell to $818.7 million in May, a 5.6% decline from the $867.4 million seen in the same month last year.

The chart below shows Brazilian poultry meat exports in containers between Jan 2021 and Apr 2024.

Brazilian Poultry Exports | Jan 2021 – Apr 2023 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

From January to May, chicken meat exports totaled 2.152 million tonnes, down 1.4% from the 2.183 million tonnes shipped in the same period in 2023. Revenue for the first five months of the year reached $3.842 billion, a decrease of 10.2% from $4.281 billion a year prior.

In May, Paraná maintained its position as the leading gateway for Brazilian poultry to the world, shipping out 198,900 tonnes, an 11.2% increase over the same month last year. Santa Catarina trailed closely with 89,600 tonnes (+2.2%), while Rio Grande do Sul, impacted by the May floods, saw a shipment decline of 11.4% to 56,400 tonnes. São Paulo and Goiás rounded out the top five exporting states with 25,400 tonnes (+4.9%) and 22,900 tonnes (+15.4%) respectively.

“May’s result was the second highest of the year and the fifth highest in the history of chicken meat exports, month-wise. It shows a robust export pace for the year, likely to maintain levels above 430,000 tonnes per month. Unfortunately, the floods in Rio Grande do Sul have negatively impacted the state’s export flow,” said ABPA President Ricardo Santin.

China was the top destination for Brazilian chicken meat in May, importing 49,800 tonnes, a 23.6% decrease from the same period last year. The United Arab Emirates stood out with 39,600 tonnes (+22.2%) and so did Saudi Arabia with 37,500 tonnes (+31.2%), Japan with 32,200 tonnes (-15.4%), South Africa with 32,100 tonnes (+12.6%), Iraq with 24,000 tonnes (+35.5%), and Mexico with 20,500 tonnes (+96.3%).

“Brazil has solidified its position as the leading global supplier of halal chicken meat, with significant sales increases to Middle Eastern and North African countries, including Libya and newly opened markets in Algeria. We expect further growth in other African markets in the coming months,” said Luís Rua, ABPA’s Markets Director.

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