Poultry meat consumption will increase in the next decade

Production

Poultry meat will increase its dominance within the meat market by accounting for half of all additional meat produced in the next decade.

Poultry production will expand rapidly in countries with feed grain surpluses, such as Brazil and the United States. Expansion is also expected in Asia, as the shift away from pork caused by African Swine Fever outbreaks benefited poultry, especially in China in recent years. In India, Turkey and Indonesia, the poultry industry remains one of the fastest growing segments of the agricultural sector, driven primarily by growing demand for animal protein and the increasing use of eggs for the bakery and confectionery sectors. Poultry meat has advantages over other meats in terms of production duration, costs, feed conversion ratio, and proximity to growing urban markets.

However, large-scale poultry production is more prone to disease. For example, constant outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affect poultry meat and egg production in many countries. Such outbreaks are easy to detect because of the high mortality rates and clinical signs associated with the disease. This allows for quick implementation of effective control measures and vaccines to prevent its spread. Therefore, HPAI is not expected to affect medium-term projections.

Although many factors have boosted the consumption of poultry meat, its production also faces environmental and sanitary challenges, especially with respect to the use of antibiotics and animal welfare. For this reason, sustainable and responsible poultry production practices must be promoted to ensure the long-term growth of the sector.