São Paulo — The United Arab Emirates was the top destination of Brazil’s exports of processed and fresh chicken meat in January. According to data for the period released on Friday (6) by the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), the Gulf country imported 44,300 metric tons in the first month of the year, an increase of 14% compared to the same period in 2025.
South Africa was the second-largest destination, importing 36,800 tons, up 34%, while Saudi Arabia ranked third, with purchases reaching 33,500 tons (+5%). China, Japan, the European Union, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and Chile round out the list of the ten largest importers of chicken meat in January. In total, shipments rose 3.6% during the period, reaching 459,000 tons — a record for the month.
In the ABPA statement, the association’s president, Ricardo Santin, noted that the record performance during a period of lower demand, such as January, points to “optimistic” prospects for exports over the course of this year. “This indicates sustained growth across several importing markets, especially in the UAE, South Africa, European Union countries, and certain Asian markets with strong demand,” he said.
The leading chicken meat exporting states were Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, and Goiás.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
