This year, the volume of chicken meat shipped totaled 974,100 tons, 4.42 per cent higher than the number recorded in the first quarter of 2011. A growth of 1.1 per cent to US $1.89 billion in revenue was recorded between January and March 2012.

"Even amid the difficulties in relation to the exchange and tax burdens, competence and high level of work undertaken by the Brazilian poultry industry has allowed the country to maintain it's global share, despite the results," said the president of UBABEF, Francisco Turra.

Among the exported products (in volume), the cuts accumulate the most in 2012, growing 12.8 per cent to a total of 542,600 tons. Salted meat recorded an increase of 6 per cent with 41,500 tonnes. Also with a positive result, the industrialized nations had increased by 2 per cent in the year, with 46,000 tonnes. Single segment with a decrease, shipments of whole chicken cut 6.5 per cent this year, compared with the same period in 2011.

"The growth in exports of products with some kind of processing show that the Brazilian poultry sector is increasingly directed to businesses with higher added value. This is why more attention to government agricultural industries, including the pro-competitive measures, such as exemptions for INSS payroll is crucial," says Mr Turra.

"The negative result of the quarter exports to the Middle East were influenced by the performance in exports to Iran, beyond the reduction in purchases in other markets. As compensation, there was a surprising increase in exports to the African continent, especially the resumption of the levels of shipments to Egypt. In addition to this, there was a growth in export volumes to Asia, especially Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and China," said the president of UBABEF.