Brazil September Chicken Exports Rise: EU and China Demand Rebounds(Oct 9)

Brazil September Chicken Exports Rise: EU and China Demand Rebounds

Total Export Volume Reaches 500,300 Tons

The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) announced on Wednesday, October 7, that total Brazilian chicken exports reached 500,300 tons in September, up 3.7% from the same month in 2025. Chicken export revenue for September reached USD 984.2 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.7%.

EU Becomes Second-Largest Destination

According to Reuters, the EU was the second-largest export destination for Brazilian chicken in September, with exports reaching 43,500 tons, compared to only 3,900 tons in the same period last year. This growth was partly attributed to earlier shipment scheduling and partly to the low base from the previous year, when a bird flu outbreak at a commercial poultry farm led to health-related shipping restrictions.

ABPA President Ricardo Santin explained that the September 2026 statistical data includes goods produced and certified through September 2. He noted that the measure suspending the issuance of new certificates to the EU took effect on September 3, but this did not affect shipments of products that had already completed the certification process. Santin stated that volumes pre-arranged by importers and exporters also helped mitigate the immediate impact of the measure. The EU removed Brazil from its list of approved exporting countries, citing non-compliance with antimicrobial standards.

China Recovery and UAE Leadership

The UAE was the leading export destination for Brazilian chicken in September, with exports reaching 45,900 tons, a year-on-year increase of 23.3%. China imported 40,900 tons, compared to only 51 tons in September 2025 -- after the bird flu outbreak in May of the previous year, China took significantly longer to resume purchases of Brazilian products.

Cumulative Performance and Broader Meat Trade Impact

According to ABPA data, from January to September, Brazil -- the world's largest chicken exporter -- recorded total exports of 4.4 million tons, up 14% year-on-year, with cumulative revenue of USD 8.7 billion, up 21%.

Meanwhile, restrictions imposed by China and the EU on Brazilian meat exports had an impact in September. Combined export revenue for the three major meats -- beef, pork, and chicken -- fell 15% year-on-year, while export volume declined 12%. Despite this decline, meat -- the second-largest agricultural export product after soybeans -- generated USD 25.6 billion in revenue from January to September, up 15% year-on-year. Total export volume reached 8 million tons, up 8.1%.

The decline was concentrated in beef. After reaching USD 1.9 billion in September 2025, beef export revenue fell to USD 1.38 billion last month, down 28% year-on-year. When China's duty-free import quota for Brazilian beef was exhausted in September, beef sales fell 93% compared to September 2025 and 32% compared to August. China, previously the top importer of Brazilian beef, imported only 12,900 tons in September, dropping to sixth place.