China yellow broiler sector stable despite challenges
Bird population continues to decline though
18 March 2025
1 minute read
By: China’s yellow broiler meat production will remain stable in 2025, even as the bird population continues to decline, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report.
Farmers are countering lower slaughter volumes by increasing bird weights to maximise profits, industry sources report.
Yellow broilers have steadily lost market share to white broilers over the past five years. Once evenly split, white broilers now make up more than 60% of the total broiler population, while yellow broilers have dropped to around 25% as of 2023. This trend has continued into 2024.
Several challenges have accelerated this decline. Authorities have shut down live poultry markets—historically the primary sales channel for yellow broilers—cutting off a key revenue stream. At the same time, farmers struggle with land shortages, as yellow broilers require outdoor space to meet consumer demand in southern China, particularly in Guangdong and Guangxi.
Yellow broilers also take longer to reach market weight than other broiler breeds. Farmers raising medium- and low-speed birds are trying to shorten the growing period to cut costs and improve efficiency. However, speeding up growth can compromise meat quality, potentially weakening consumer demand.
Meanwhile, farmers are producing fewer high-speed yellow broilers, shifting instead toward hybrid breeds. Despite these pressures, the industry is adapting, using heavier birds to maintain production levels and sustain profits.
