According to a recent report from the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (CEPEA), Brazilian chicken meat exports set a new record in 2022.

With the Russia-Ukraine war and the higher number of avian influenza cases in the Northern Hemisphere, international demand for the Brazilian chicken meat increased significantly. This scenario added to the lower supply of slaughter chicken along the year raised the domestic prices of the product compared to that in 2021 (in nominal terms).

According to data from the US Department of Agriculture, chicken production in Ukraine, one of the world’s major suppliers of chicken meat, is expected to decrease 8.4% in 2022 compared to that in 2021. The current world economic context has favoured the Brazilian exports of chicken meat this year too – as inflation has been high in several countries, many of them suspended imports tariffs on chicken meat, aiming to lower negative effects on local economies.

According to data from Secex, from January to December 23rd, 2022, Brazil exported 4.7 million tons of chicken meat, 2.4% more than that shipped in the twelve months of 2021 and a record.

This year, some of Brazil’s major commercial partners, such as China, Japan and Saudi Arabia, purchased lower amounts of the Brazilian chicken meat, -16%, -4% and -6%, respectively, compared to that in the same period last year. On the other hand, other countries increased imports from Brazil, such as South Korea (+63%), Philippines (+49%), Qatar (35%) and Mexico (+31%).

With higher volumes being exported and higher prices paid for the Brazilian chicken meat, revenue increased too, totalling BRL 46.2 billion between Jan-Nov. 2022, 24% up from that in the same period last year and a record, considering the series of Secex, which began in 1997.