Estimates for EU production in 2023 have been slightly revised due to newly available production data from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report.

EU chicken meat production is expected to increase by 2.7% in 2024. This increase is driven by sustained domestic and export demand. While economic conditions throughout Europe have improved since the COVID-19 crisis, market conditions continue to favour less expensive animal protein. This is expected to continue in 2024 and 2025.

An estimated 98% of all EU chicken production consists of broiler meat. The remaining 2% is primarily meat produced from laying hens and cocks.

According to data from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as of July 2024, Europe had the lowest number of recorded HPAI cases in poultry and wild birds since 2019/2020. The impact on the EU chicken meat sector is limited.

Driven by consumer demand, the expansion of free-range / organic chicken production in several EU Member States is a growing concern for EU veterinary authorities. The smaller and more specialized production systems are believed to be more vulnerable to HPAI outbreaks. Chickens roaming outside are more likely to come into contact with wild birds that carry the HPAI virus.