China’s chicken output to edge higher in 2026
Shift toward white broilers sustains moderate gains
11 September 2025
1 minute read
By: China’s chicken production is forecast to rise slightly in 2026, though at a slower pace than in 2025, according to a report from the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
White broilers and hybrid broilers are expected to drive the increase, while yellow broiler output will hold steady. White broilers now account for about 70% of total chicken production, compared with 17–20% for yellow broilers and 8–10% for hybrid broilers. Just five years ago, white broilers represented only half of production.
The FAS said white broiler production will edge higher next year, supported by vertically integrated companies that reported strong profits in early 2025 despite lower chicken prices. Expanded processed product lines and growing consumer preference for chicken protein are also expected to underpin output.
Even so, growth will be limited. Smaller standalone farms remain cautious after losses in 2025, and restrictions on US and New Zealand grandparent stock due to avian influenza have constrained breeding replacement. Most imports in the first half of 2025 came from France, but reliance on limited sources may cap future expansion.
Yellow broiler production is projected to remain stable as leading companies expand modestly while smaller producers exit the market. Unlike white broiler firms that diversified into processed and ready-to-eat products, yellow broiler integrators remain focused on live bird and fresh chicken sales, leaving them more exposed to price swings.
Hybrid broiler production is forecast to keep growing, buoyed by cost advantages and shorter production cycles compared with yellow broilers. Approval of new hybrid breeds in 2025 also lifted industry confidence.
The FAS revised its 2025 production estimate upward after stronger-than-expected supply in the first half of the year. Output increased across all broiler categories, with poultry meat production rising more than 7% year-over-year, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics.
