February 22, 2023

 

China's chicken consumption falls in big cities Shanghai and Hong Kong

 

A challenging economic environment — in conjunction with the gradual recovery of pork supply, which sent prices plummeting — severely impacted China's chicken production and consumption.

 

The country's broiler slaughter volume decreased 4.09% in 2022 on-year, falling for a second straight year. Its per capita chicken consumption has also declined for two consecutive years.

 

The decrease in chicken consumption is especially prominent in large cities, specifically, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

 

Shanghai's COVID-19 lockdown has contributed to a further decline in chicken consumption. As its protein consumption is mainly pork and seafood, chicken consumption is relatively low. eFeedLink estimated that Shanghai's home-based chicken consumption is 25 grammes per day, and 50 grammes per day when eating out. Visitors in the city consume 60 grammes per day.

 

Based on data, Shanghai's chicken consumption decreased significantly by 13.79% in 2022.

  

As for Hong Kong, its per capita chicken consumption on average reached 31kg in 2014. It is estimated that the pandemic has led to a reduction in chicken consumption by 10.18%.

 

Data shows that when Hong Kong's COVID-19 situation was at its worst in February-March 2022, its import of whole chickens and chicken products from mainland China declined to 16,800 tonnes, down by 4.49% compared with 18,500 tonnes shipped during the same period in 2021. In particular, the import of chilled whole chickens decreased substantially by 14%, an indication of a falling consumption as well as a change in the consumption pattern. Even as its COVID-19 situation improved after March 2022, the import of chicken products from mainland China remained unchanged compared with the same period in 2021.

 

On the bright side, the Chinese government has finally ended its ‘zero-COVID' policy. Towards the second half of 2023, the movement of people in China is expected to return to the pre-pandemic levels. Big cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong will see life returning to normal, and the demand for poultry will gradually and eventually pick up.

  

- Shi Tao, eFeedLink