European Union: Poultry and Products Annual

Following declining production in 2021 due to COVID-19 and outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), EU chicken meat production is expected to resume growth in 2022 and 2023. The EU chicken meat trade surplus will decrease as imports are growing and exports will continue to decline. As consumption in hotels, restaurants and institutional (HRI) outlets resumes, demand for inexpensive chicken meat, especially from Brazil and Thailand, is rising. EU chicken meat imports now also benefit from the EU decision to temporarily suspend import quotas and tariffs on Ukrainian products. The decrease in EU chicken meat exports is mainly due to HPAI-related bans in some EU customer countries and the growing competition with other poultry exporters including Brazil, Ukraine, the United States and Russia. Within the EU, increasing food inflation and higher energy costs will continue to favor chicken meat consumption as other animal proteins remain relatively more expensive.