June 19, 2023

Poultry production surges in Canada despite challenges, driven by increased demand

Poultry meat and egg production in Canada experienced a notable uptick in 2022 compared to the previous year, but rising feed grain prices and the outbreak of avian influenza posed challenges and increased production costs for the industry, Poultry World reported.

Total poultry sales in Canada soared by 14% in 2022, reaching CAD 4.2 billion (~US$3.1 billion; CAD 1 = US$0.76). Poultry farmers across the country produced a staggering 1.5 billion kg of chicken, turkey, and stewing hens.

Egg production also witnessed a positive growth of 2.2%, with the number of dozen eggs produced rising from 847.9 million in 2021 to 866.5 million in 2022.

Chicken production, including stewing hens, experienced a solid increase of 2.8% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Poultry farmers in Canada produced a total of 1.37 billion kg of chicken, accounting for 90.1% of the country's overall poultry production.

However, due to import restrictions on live birds and related products in response to the avian influenza outbreak, imports of live birds into Canada declined by 21% in 2022, totaling 8.6 million kg.

Turkey production marked its sixth consecutive annual decline, dropping marginally by 0.1% from 2021 to 150.2 million kg in 2022.

When it comes to regional distribution, Ontario played a significant role in the Canadian poultry industry, accounting for over one-third (478.4 million kg) of the chicken produced. Quebec followed closely, contributing more than a quarter (358.5 million kg) to the country's chicken production. Both provinces also remained the top turkey producers, with Ontario responsible for 47.5% (71.4 million kg) and Quebec for 19.7% (29.6 million kg) of the country's turkey production.

Egg sales experienced a substantial growth of 14.9% in 2022, reaching CAD 2.1 billion (~US$1.56 billion).

-      Poultry World