European Union poultry meat imports are continuing to rise while exports remain largely stable, according to the latest figures from the European Commission.
In the first three months of 2025, EU poultry meat imports increased month-on-month by 13.7% compared to the same period in 2024, climbing from 224,139 to 254,756 tonnes in carcase weight. Brazil was the leading driver of this, sending 88,937 tonnes, an increase of 30.1% from its January to March 2024 total of 68,368 tonnes. Imports from China more than doubled month-on-month, up 71.8% to 17,987 tonnes.
The UK also increased its exports to the EU by 9.5%, reaching 48,366 tonnes. Meanwhile, Thailand showed modest growth of 2.5% to 41,355 tonnes. Only Ukraine saw a decline, with its poultry meat exports to the EU falling 5.5% to 52,812 tonnes.
On the export front, EU shipments of poultry meat rose marginally, up 0.8% to 520,103 tonnes, compared to 515,820 tonnes in the same period last year. Within that, performance varied by market. Exports to Ghana rose significantly by 45.4%, reaching 46,999 tonnes. The Democratic Republic of Congo saw an 8.9% increase, importing 30,698 tonnes of EU poultry. However, exports to Vietnam dropped 16.3% to 16,826 tonnes, and sales to Ukraine fell slightly by 2.6% to 15,827 tonnes. Exports to the UK were nearly unchanged.
The average broiler price in the EU remained high at €295.05 per 100 kg, maintaining a significant premium over international competitors. For comparison, Brazil’s average broiler price was €253.59 and the United States’ stood at €114.96.