Brazil sets April chicken export record at 486,500 tonnes
Revenue up 3.8% to US$940.5m as EU and Mexico demand surges
18 May 2026
1 minute read
By: Brazilian chicken meat exports (considering all products, both fresh and processed) totalled 486,500 tonnes in April, according to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA). The volume was the highest ever recorded for the period, exceeding by 2.2% the amount recorded in the same month last year, which was 475,900 tonnes.
Export revenue reached US$940.5 million in the fourth month of the year, a 3.8% increase compared to April 2025, which totalled US$906.1 million.
In the first four months of the year, Brazilian chicken meat shipments reached 1.943 million tonnes, a 4.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025, which totalled 1.863 million tonnes. In terms of revenue, accumulated growth reached 6.1%, with US$3.704 billion between January and April of this year, compared to US$3.492 billion in the first four months of last year.
Among the main destinations for Brazilian exports in April, China led with 52,200 tonnes shipped, a volume 0.6% higher than in the same period last year. Japan followed with 42,300 tonnes (+13.1%), Saudi Arabia with 35,800 tonnes (+5.2%), the European Union with 33,000 tonnes (+23.1%), Mexico with 27,100 tonnes (+50.2%), South Africa with 26,300 tonnes (-0.8%), the Philippines with 24,000 tonnes (-10.7%), the United Arab Emirates with 19,100 tonnes (-52.7%), South Korea with 15,500 tonnes (-10.2%), and Singapore with 12,600 tonnes (+3.7%).
"The international scenario remains quite dynamic for Brazilian animal protein. We are observing consistent growth in strategic markets in Asia, the European Union, and Latin America, in addition to the expansion of higher value-added destinations," said Ricardo Santin, president of ABPA. At the same time, there are specific readjustments in certain Middle Eastern markets, within a more complex geopolitical context for international food trade."
According to Santin, the accumulated four-month performance reinforces the international competitiveness of Brazilian poultry farming.
"Brazil continues to expand its global presence based on productive efficiency, sanitary safety, and supply capacity. Even with the conflict in the Middle East, the sector managed to fulfil the deliveries demanded by the region, supporting the food security of the Gulf countries," Santin said. "The results recorded so far confirm the prospects of a positive international flow for the sector's exports in 2026."
