Brazilian chicken output hits record despite 2025 bird flu case
Prices hit near three-year low, but post-Lent rebound expected
8 April 2026
1 minute read
By: Brazil's poultry sector produced a record 14.3 million tonnes of chicken meat in 2025, up 4.2% from 2024 — the strongest annual gain since 2021, according to Cepea, citing March data from IBGE. The milestone came despite a bird flu case reported in the country last year.
Output in the fourth quarter of 2025 reached 3.65 million tonnes, the highest quarterly result in the IBGE series, rising 1.5% from the previous quarter and 8% from the same period in 2024.
The surge in production has weighed heavily on prices. Frozen chicken meat in the Greater São Paulo wholesale market has fallen 10.5% since the start of 2026, with the monthly average now at its lowest in real terms since July 2023, according to Cepea.
The outlook for the coming quarter is more constructive. Cepea projects slaughter activity may slow, tightening domestic supply, while the end of Lent is expected to lift consumer demand. Both factors point to a likely price recovery.
