March 18, 2016

Growth in EU poultry meat production spurred by cheap feeds

2015 was a good year for the poultry meat sector in the EU as production increased at the more-than-expected rate of 3.7% compared with 2014, to 13.8 million tonnes.

According to the latest EU Short Term Outlook report, affordable feed prices due to good crop harvest worldwide spurred further growth in poultry meat production.

Poland was the biggest poultry meat producer in the EU while Germany suffered a decline in production.

Export growth is expected to continue this year and in 2017, but at a slower pace due to increased competition on the world market.

Growing export destinations included the Philippines, whose purchases doubled, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Ghana and Georgia and China, while exports to Hong Kong decreased.

The EU market share in its two most important export destinations, Benin and South Africa, was eroded due to competitions from the US and Brazil.

This year EU export growth is forecast to be at a mere 0.5% compared with 2015 as the US and Brazil offers more competition on the world market.