Brazilian chicken meat exports totalled 485 thousand tons in September, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). 

At 397.1 thousand tons, export volume rose 22.1% over the same time last year. It is the second best monthly performance in the history of the sector – the highest in the series occurred in March 2023, with 514.6 thousand tons.

September also recorded the second-highest monthly revenue ever obtained by Brazilian chicken meat exports, with US$953.8 million, a balance 32.6% higher than the ninth month of 2023, with US$719.3 million. The highest monthly balance in history also occurred in March 2023, with US$980.5 million.

Between January and September, chicken meat exports increased 0.6%, with 3.917 million tons in the first nine months of this year, against 3.892 million in the same period of 2023. The accumulated revenue between January and September of this year reached US$ 7.273 billion, a number 4% lower than that obtained in the previous year, with US$ 7.578 billion.

“The strong increase recorded in September reversed the performance recorded throughout the year, which is now positive and indicates that it will continue to be so until December. With the increase in average export prices, we also had an increase in revenues in September at levels significantly higher than those recorded in volumes," said Ricardo Santin, ABPA president.

The main destination for chicken meat exports, China, imported 55.1 thousand tons in September, a volume 3.4% lower than the previous year. In a different movement, the United Arab Emirates imported 41.4 thousand tons (+17.6%), followed by Japan, with 36.5 thousand tons (+48.6%), Saudi Arabia, with 29.9 thousand tons (+5.9%), South Africa, with 28.4 thousand tons (+38.2%), Mexico, with 23.8 thousand tons (+57%), the European Union, with 23.7 thousand tons (+58%) and Ghana, 16.1 thousand tons (+198.4%). The Philippines, with 15.9 thousand tons (-4.3%) and Kuwait, with 13.1 thousand tons (+66.2%) complete the top 10.

The largest exporter of chicken meat in Brazil, Paraná, exported 195.6 thousand tons in September, a volume 20% higher than in the same period last year. Next are Santa Catarina, with 105.6 thousand tons (+23.1%), Rio Grande do Sul, with 63.2 thousand tons (+12.4%), São Paulo, with 28.1 thousand tons (+30.5%) and Goiás, with 19.5 thousand tons (+3.4%).

“Eight of the top 10 Brazilian chicken meat importers recorded strong increases in their imports," added Santin. "Even among those with lower performance in the monthly comparison, there is good news. This is the case of China, which resumed imports at levels above 50 thousand tons."

"Another relevant aspect is the increase in imports from markets with high added value, such as Japan, which had a positive impact on the performance of revenues recorded in September," he said. "The movement is also positive among Islamic nations, and should continue to do so in the coming months, since the logistics flow to these destinations was adjusted in light of the conflict situation in the region."