11 Dec 2025

Irish chicken industry grapples with significant obstacles

The Irish poultry industry—a key pillar in the country's agri-food sector—is encountering a range of converging challenges.

David Corredor

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The Irish poultry industry—a key pillar in the country’s agri-food sector—is encountering a range of converging challenges. These include surging input costs, persistent avian influenza outbreaks, evolving consumer preferences, and intense market competition.

Outbreaks of Avian Influenza

Avian influenza (AI) continues to pose a serious threat to Irish poultry producers.
Despite enhanced biosecurity protocols following DAFM and DAERA guidance, frequent outbreaks have resulted in mandated culling, production disruptions, and trade uncertainties.
These disruptions have impacted both table egg and broiler sectors, pressing producers to invest heavily in disinfection measures, housing orders, and compensation-related clean‑up operations.

Rising production costs

Producers are also battling a steep rise in operating costs:

Feed prices have escalated amid global grain market volatility.
Energy and labor expenses—including increased minimum wage (€13.50/hr), pension contributions, and sick leave—have significantly inflated expenditures.
Capital requirements for welfare improvements and biosecurity systems have further pushed investment needs.

Animal welfare and consumer demand

Irish consumers and retailers are increasingly prioritizing higher welfare standards:

Shifts away from enriched-cage systems to barn, free-range, or organic production are intensifying.
NGO pressure is further compelling producers to upgrade infrastructure, often without guaranteed contract coverage.
Despite convenience and a healthy image, poultry consumption shows slower per capita growth (1.6 kg/year) than in past decades.
Additionally, consumers demand more nutritious, low-carbon, and sustainably produced poultry.

Market competition and trade pressures

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The Irish poultry industry faces stiff competition from imports:

Despite domestic products dominating retail, foodservice relies heavily on cheaper foreign poultry.
Between 2023 and 2024, imports rose from €578 M to €627 M, reflecting reliance on external supply.
Exports increased modestly to €295 M in 2024, led by UK demand; however, Irish producers still contend with a price disadvantage compared to global competitors.

Sustainability and innovation pressures

To remain competitive and responsible, the industry must embrace sustainability:

The Ibec/Ireland Poultry Sustainability Roadmap outlines goals through 2030, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing manure use, and transitioning to renewable energy.
Circular economy strategies include using poultry litter for crop fertilization and benchmarking carbon footprints.
The sector already boasts low antibiotic usage and high levels of packaging recycling, yet further transparency and standardized reporting are needed.

These interconnected challenges—economic, health-related, welfare-driven, trade-related, and environmental—require coordinated solutions involving industry groups, government support, and systems innovation. Only by addressing each dimension can Ireland’s poultry sector secure a sustainable and resilient future.

Sources: Available upon request

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