By Charlie Reeve
EU broiler prices rallied during February after a slow start to the year with average prices breaking above 280 eurocents a kg to stand at 280.95 eurocents a kg, for the week ending 26 February.
Prices have risen by 2% during the past month and are currently 9.1% up on the same month last year.
Broiler prices in the US have not received the same level of support as in the EU and plummeted to the equivalent of 265 eurocents a kg in late February.
Meanwhile, broiler prices in Brazil have been making gains and lifted to the equivalent of 140 eurocents a kg. Despite an increase on month earlier levels, Brazil still remains at a notable discount to broiler prices in the EU and US.
The European Commission has forecasted EU poultry production to reach a new high of 14.05 million tonnes during 2025.
Broiler production in February alone is forecasted to lift above 900,000 tonnes, which is an increase of more than 100,000 tonnes on the same month last year.
Production continues to outweigh consumption of poultry meat in the EU and is expected to achieve an estimated self-sufficiency rate of 108% for the third consecutive year during 2025.
Poland accounted for the largest share of total EU poultry meat production in 2023 at 21%, followed by Spain (13%), Denmark (12%), France (11%), and Italy (10%).
EU egg production
EU egg prices improved during February and have widened the gap above last year’s levels.
The EU weekly average increased to 249.59 eurocents a kg during the final week of February, up by 5.4% on the month and 10.3% on the same week last year.
Total EU egg exports reached 333,800 tonnes during the first 11 months of 2024, up by 11% on the year.
The UK continued to be the EU’s largest export destination with 137,100 tonnes of eggs being imported into the UK from the EU.
This accounted for almost 41% of total EU egg exports and was 6% higher than the same period last year.
The EU imported 110,900 tonnes of eggs during the first 11 months of the year, up by 32% on the same period in 2023.
Ukraine remained the largest exporter of eggs to the EU with volumes up by 34.5%, based off the first 11 months of the year.
More than 68,000 tonnes of eggs were imported by the EU from Ukraine, meanwhile the UK was the second largest exporter to the EU with just under 16,000 tonnes being sent during the same period.
Total EU egg production was 6.78 million tonnes in 2023, which was 0.7% higher than in 2022.
The main EU egg producing countries in 2023 were France, Germany, and Spain, which all accounted for about 14% respectively of total egg production volumes.
This was followed by Italy and Poland at 12% and 8% of egg production.