In 2019 China was the main importer of chicken meat produced in Brazil with purchases of 585,300 tonnes, or growth of 34% compared to 483,000 tonnes in 2018, said the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA).

ABPA also said that, in December alone, China imported 72,000tonnes of chicken meat, an increase of 94% compared to the amount recorded in the same month of 2018.

“The health crisis that hit Chinese pig farming also influenced the increase of exports of chicken meat, with sales in 2019 at the highest amount ever exported to China since the opening of the market in 2009,” said Ricardo Santin, chief executive of ABPA, who highlighted the increase at the end of the year.

Japan also increased imports by 7.0% to 424,000 tonnes and in the Middle East the United Arab Emirates were the highlight of the year with a 10% increase in imports to 341,100 tonnes.

“Exports, in particular to the Middle East and Asia, are expected to maintain a positive trend in 2020, as the international animal protein market is under pressure from demand from Asia, in particular,” said Francisco Turra, president of ABPA.

In overall terms the Brazilian producers of chicken meat in 2019 exported more than 4.2 million tonnes, an annual increase of 2.8% on 2018 when exports totalled 4.1 million tonnes.

The sales recorded last year amounted to US$6.994 billion, an increase of 6.4 year-on-year, with the figure recorded in December alone the most significant with an increase of 9.6% or US$636 million.

ABPA is the political and institutional representation for poultry and pig farming in Brazil, bringing together more than 140 companies responsible for exports worth over US$8 billion. (macauhub)