São Paulo – The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq increased their imports of Brazilian chicken meat and ended the year among the top ten international customers of the product. According to the 2024 report and 2025 outlook released on Thursday (12) by lobby group ABPA in a press conference in São Paulo, the sector is also expected to set a record this year for poultry production and exports.
The president of ABPA, Ricardo Santin, said countries consuming halal protein, a method where products are made according to Islamic standards, are long-time buyers of Brazil and have shown consistent growth in imports of Brazilian chicken meat. “You have Saudi Arabia growing at 1.1%, and the UAE at 7% growth—these are consistent increases that are also seen in other Arab countries. So, I see this consumption being maintained,” Santin said.
According to ABPA data, China was the top importer of Brazilian chicken meat this year. The Asian country imported 508,700 tonnes between January and November, a 19.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.
The UAE was the second largest destination, purchasing 424,700 tonnes, a 7.2% increase compared to the same period from January to November last year. Saudi Arabia was the fourth largest destination, behind Japan. The Gulf country imported 341,100 tonnes of chicken meat through November, with a 1.1% increase over the same period in 2023. Iraq, the 9th largest destination, bought 166,300 tonnes, a 20.9% rise compared to 2023. Together, these three countries accounted for 20% of Brazil’s chicken meat exports.
Santin said that, in the case of Iraq, the growth is attributed to decreased exports from neighboring Turkey. As for the smaller growth in Saudi Arabia, the ABPA president assessed it as a result of a strategy implemented by the local government.
“It’s an increase in local production. We know about Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 [to diversify its economy away from oil], aiming for 80% local production and 20% imports. It’s a decision they’ve made within their autonomy, and I don’t see other suppliers, but rather, local production growing and Brazil complementing where possible,” Santin said, highlighting that Brazilian companies have poultry production operations within Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.
The production and export of chicken meat are expected to reach a record this year, which will likely be surpassed in 2025, according to ABPA forecasts. The institution rated 2024 as a “positive” year, despite the challenges. Among these are the floods in southernmost Rio Grande do Sul state, cases of avian flu in wild animals, and the Newcastle Disease, which was also reported in Rio Grande do Sul.
This year’s production is expected to reach 15 million tonnes of chicken meat, a growth of up to 1.1% compared to 2023. Exports are projected to total 5.3 million tonnes, a 3.1% increase over last year. For 2025, projections indicate a 2.7% growth in production and a 1.9% increase in exports compared to this year. In 2024, at 14.3% of global production, Brazil was the second-largest producer of chicken meat globally, behind only the United States. Brazil was the largest exporter in the world, with a 38% share of global exports.
Egg exports from Brazil to Arab countries
Another segment that saw growth in 2024 was the export of eggs from Brazil to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, despite a decline in overall exports of the product. According to data from ABPA, a total of 16,400 tonnes of eggs were exported year to date through November, a decrease of 32.9% compared to the same period in 2023. Revenue from these exports amounted to USD 34.9 million, down 42.4% year-on-year. Santin noted that, unlike in 2023, no event similar to Taiwan’s large import of Brazilian eggs occurred this year.
Among the Arab countries, the UAE, the third-largest buyer, imported 1,900 tonnes of eggs between January and November, a rise of 123.5% compared to the same period in 2023. Qatar, the fifth-largest destination of these exports, imported 1,020 tonnes, an increase of 7.7% this year through November compared to the same period in 2023. Chile (1st), the US (2nd), Japan (4th), Uruguay (6th), Cuba (7th), Mexico (8th), Panama (9th), and the European Union (10th) round out the list of the top destinations for eggs produced in Brazil.
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Brazilian chicken meat exports to Iraq double
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
