Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 7/9/19


The global poultry industry is expected to gradually improve throughout the rest of the year as demand improves – especially as China deals with African Swine Fever (ASF) – according to the latest report from Rabobank.

The banking and financial services company says the main driver for the improvement in the poultry market in the second quarter has been a more balanced supply in key trading markets like Brazil, Thailand, the United States and European Union.

China currently is the best-performing poultry industry with “exceptionally high prices” as the nation shifts to poultry from pork as ASF continues to plague domestic pork production. The report notes that the global poultry market has been on a rollercoaster ride in the past year with a large oversupply in the second half of 2018.

“The balance of the (poultry) market is gradually returning, driven by stronger dark meat demand from Asia and Africa,” said Rabobank senior animal protein analyst Nan-Dirk Mulder. However, with first-quarter global poultry trade volumes reaching just 2.8 million metric tons – their lowest since 2015 – there still may be more tough issues in poultry trade and lower breast meat prices, Mulder added.

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