Key Takeaways
- ▸Brazil is the world's largest chicken exporter and set another record in 2026.
- ▸Industry association ABPA tracks and reports Brazil's poultry export volumes.
- ▸China, Japan, and the UAE rank among Brazil's largest chicken buyers.
- ▸Brazil ships poultry to more than 150 countries, spreading demand widely.
- ▸Competitive feed costs and scale keep Brazilian chicken affordable on world markets.
4DW DESK · MARKET NOTE
If Brazilian beef spent July worrying about quotas, Brazilian chicken spent it counting records.
First-half exports reached 2.936 million tonnes, up 12.9% — the best half-year ever — worth US$ 5.7 billion (+17%). June alone jumped 40.6% to 482,800 tonnes. Part of that is an easy comparison: June 2025 was dented by an isolated avian influenza case, since resolved. But most of it is structural appetite.
The map keeps widening
China led June purchases, followed closely by Japan and the UAE. The eye-catching numbers are further down the table: the European Union bought 250% more than a year earlier, South Africa nearly 10x, Mexico 8x. When sanitary status normalizes, demand doesn't return gradually — it floods back.
Paraná shipped 199,300 tonnes in June — more than the next two states combined. Protein logistics speaks Portuguese with a southern accent.
For buyers, the lesson of the last twelve months is about resilience: the origins that recover fastest are the ones with federal inspection depth, regionalization agreements and documentation discipline.
THE 4DW ANGLE
Our group's own plant sits in Paraná — the state at the top of that chart — and our sourcing network covers the rest of the map. Recurring poultry programs, spec-consistent, quoted by the year.
▮ Frequently asked questions
Is Brazil the world's largest chicken exporter?
Yes. Brazil is the world's largest exporter of chicken meat, shipping to more than 150 countries. In 2026 its poultry exports set another record, according to industry association ABPA. Brazil's dominance rests on abundant, cheap feed grain, large-scale production, and competitive prices that undercut most rival exporters.
Who are the biggest buyers of Brazilian chicken?
Brazil's largest chicken buyers include China, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates, along with Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. These markets value Brazil's competitive pricing, halal-certified supply, and reliable volumes. Diversification across Asia and the Gulf helps Brazil absorb shocks in any single market.
What is ABPA and why does it matter for poultry trade?
ABPA, the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (Associacao Brasileira de Proteina Animal), represents Brazil's poultry and pork sectors. It compiles and publishes official export data, forecasts, and market intelligence. For global buyers, ABPA figures are the authoritative reference for tracking Brazil's chicken export volumes, prices, and destination trends.
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