UK the largest customer of EU chicken meat
Dark chicken meat cuts exported to Africa
14 November 2024
1 minute read
By: The UK is now the single largest client for EU chicken meat, accounting for 36% of EU exports, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report.
The EU exports to UK consist of mostly fresh and chilled chicken cuts (close to half of exports) as well as preserved or prepared chicken meat and offals.
Sub-Saharan countries led by Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Liberia, Benin, and Guinea are major outlets for low-priced, frozen chicken meat cuts (mostly dark meat and mechanically deboned chicken meat).
Vietnam, Philippines and Cuba are also major export markets for cheap EU frozen chicken cuts. Exports to Benin in 2024 might be impacted by the crackdown on illicit trade between Benin and Nigeria.
After several years of decline, EU exports of frozen whole chickens to Saudi Arabia have grown by 30% in the first half of 2024, led by higher French exports. It appears that EU chicken meat has regained competitiveness in the Saudi market while Brazilian, Ukrainian and Russian chicken meat have lost ground.
While EU domestic markets favor breast and premium white meat cuts, outside the EU, the export market for dark meat cuts remains very competitive, despite of the increasing costs of production.
