The report, entitled Prospects for Agricultural Markets and Income in the EU 2012-2022, states that poultry imports from countries of the European Union - which fell 3 per cent between January and August 2012, according to statistics from the EC - will increase until it reaches a total of 831,000 tonnes in 2022. The per capita consumption, in turn, is projected to grow 4.3 per cent on average, reaching 24 pounds in 2022.

According to UBABEF statistics, in 2012, Brazil shipped 442,000 tonnes of chicken meat to EU countries, with revenues of US$ 1.184 billion - a result lower than that during 2011 due to the economic downturn in several economies in the bloc, but accounting for the second largest market for Brazilian sales.

"The European Commission's projections are encouraging for Brazil, a traditional supplier of chicken meat to EU countries. This position, incidentally, elevates the status of our products, as the European market is extremely demanding. And this affords us much time to open new markets," said the Chief Executive of UBABEF, Francisco Turra.