China’s chicken imports fall as domestic output climbs
Imports shrink as disease controls and currency pressures shift poultry trade
17 April 2025
2 minute read
By: China is expected to scale back chicken meat imports in 2025 as local production rises and sluggish demand tempers the need for foreign supply, according to a recent report from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Beijing.
According to the report, total chicken imports will drop to 380,000 metric tonnes in 2025, down from 495,000 tonnes in 2024 and a significant decrease from 756,000 tonnes in 2023. The decline is largely driven by growing domestic production, flat consumption and currency pressures, particularly the depreciation of the yuan against the US dollar.
Animal disease controls in key exporting countries are also playing a role. Brazil, China’s top supplier of chicken products, saw exports fall sharply in 2024 after a Newcastle disease detection prompted a temporary self-imposed suspension. Although Brazil resumed exports later that year, China maintained import bans on products from the affected region of Rio Grande do Sul. These restrictions could further reduce Brazil’s export volumes in 2025.
Despite lower volumes, Brazil’s market share of imported chicken products actually increased from 65% in 2023 to 70% in 2024, reflecting its continued dominance in the Chinese market.
The United States, previously China’s second-largest supplier, also experienced a notable drop in exports due to HPAI-related restrictions and rising prices. As of early 2025, dozens of US states remain under indefinite bans, limiting the number of eligible export facilities. Chinese authorities have not lifted restrictions according to the 90-day protocol previously agreed upon, leading to uncertainty and trade disruptions.
Meanwhile, Thailand has gained market share to tie with the US as China’s second-largest chicken supplier. The shift underscores how disease management and policy enforcement are reshaping the dynamics of global poultry trade.
