São Paulo – Brazil’s poultry exports to Arab countries are expected to sustain this year’s performance in 2024 and increase shipments to new destinations. In a press conference in São Paulo to present the sector’s performance in 2023 and prospects for 2024, meat lobby ABPA also estimated a 6.8% expansion in total poultry exports to 4.6 million tonnes this year. The projection is for revenue to plateau at USD 8.978 billion. (Pictured above, a poultry processing plant).
According to data released by the ABPA, the leading importer of Brazilian poultry was China, which increased purchases by 28% over 2022 to 632,200 tonnes. It was followed by the United Arab Emirates, which imported 396,000 tonnes, down 3.3% from last year. Saudi Arabia came fourth and increased its purchases by 7.2% to 337,400 tonnes, just behind Japan. The highlight among Arab countries was Iraq, which this year appeared among the top ten destinations for Brazilian poultry, with an 184% upsurge over last year to 137,600 tonnes.
According to ABPA president Ricardo Santin, the increase in exports to Iraq is due to the drop in production and exports from Turkey, which suffered a major earthquake in February. Santin said that export prospects for next year are positive, as the Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are already important buyers of Brazilian producers.
“This year’s balance is positive – the Arab market is one of the main for Brazil, with 32% of sales. It was very positive and could continue to grow,” said Santin. “We see good opportunities for all of Africa, especially Algeria,” said ABPA’s markets director, Luís Rua. In 2023, the sector celebrated the opening of the Algerian market for Brazilian poultry and a tariff reduction in Egypt. Rua commented that, for 2024, ABPA is negotiating the opening of the Sudanese market and other non-Arab countries and resolving international litigations.
For next year, ABPA expects a 3.7% growth for the entire poultry production sector to 15.3 million tonnes. Exports could reach up to 5.3 million tonnes, a 3.9% expansion.
“We foresee Brazil with vigorous exports, the United States with growth, the European Union with stability, and Turkey growing again. The outlook for 2024 remains optimistic for Brazilian poultry,” said Santin.
Duck & eggs
ABPA also released the performance of the egg and other bird sectors. Among these, exports to Qatar, the fifth leading destination for Brazilian eggs, totaled 953 tonnes, an 11.8% drop. For the UAE, the drop was 80%, to 859 tonnes. To Saudi Arabia, sales rose 113% to 288 tonnes. The three countries recorded an increase in duck imports from Brazil.
Santin also commented at the meeting that Brazil remains free of cases of avian influenza in its production chain. There were a total of 150 cases in the country, of which 147 were reported in wild birds and 3 in birds for subsistence consumption.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
