RaboResearch releases findings from Rabobank's latest poultry report. Major importing countries and regions are operating under relatively tight conditions, due partly to supply challenges and partly to avian influenza (AI). The development of AI will be the big wild card for trade and poses an ongoing global threat, especially if Brazil's southern states are hit by outbreaks.
Although prices have been somewhat under pressure in Q1 2023, the outlook for global poultry markets remains optimistic. At a time when eggs are reaching record-high prices globally and competing proteins like beef and pork are expected to remain expensive in most markets, demand for poultry meat — the cheapest animal protein — remains strong. At the same time, ongoing high prices amid weaker economic conditions are leading to some demand erosion in markets with sizable populations of low-income consumers. “This is happening in Africa and Asia in particular, where consumers are returning to cheaper, traditional plant-based protein sources,’’ explains Nan-Dirk Mulder, senior analyst – Animal Protein at Rabobank.