According to information supplied by the Brazilian Poultry Exporters Association (Abef), the Middle East is still the main destination for Brazilian chicken exports, followed by Asia, which imported US$1.3 billion and 632,000 tonnes, growth of 67% and 18%, respectively. The third main market for the product was the European Union, with shipments of 364,000 tonnes and revenues of $991 million.

Apart from them, Brazil also exported chicken to South America ($377 million paid for 230,000 tonnes), Africa ($176 million and 166,000 tonnes) and Russia ($238 million and 120,000 tonnes).

From January to August, Brazilian foreign sales of the product totalled US$ 4.8 billion, representing an increase of 56% over the same period last year. Shipments totalled 2.5 million tonnes, growth of 17% in comparison with the same period in 2007.

According to the Abef, the growth between January and August 2008 took place aligned with accelerated reduction of sector profitability, due to the appreciation of the Brazilian real against the dollar and to greater costs of inputs used in the industry, like maize.

Due to this scenery, the organisation believes that articulation between the private sector and the federal government is necessary to end the process for entry into new markets, like China, and also of making use of opportunities presented in the supply of chicken to Russia.

In August, shipments of chicken meats were 323,000 tonnes, growth of 6% over the same period in 2007, while export revenues in the month totalled $688 million - growth of 45%.

In terms of value, chicken pieces were the items most exported ($2.5 billion), followed by whole chickens ($1.5 billion), salted ($421 million) and industrialized ($346 million) meats.