Polish poultry production and exports flourish
Despite global market trends, Poland's poultry industry has experienced significant growth in 2024. Domestic production has increased due to favorable market conditions, while exports have surged, driven by competitive pricing and strong demand both within the EU and in international markets.
Global and EU Trends
In 2024, the global poultry meat market is expected to continue its moderate growth. The European Union is also forecasted to see an increase in poultry production. According to the European Commission, EU poultry production in 2024 is projected to rise by approximately 1% compared to 2023, reaching over 13.6 million tons, while consumption is expected to increase by 0.8% to 12.6 million tons. Factors contributing to this growth in the EU, similar to 2023, include: decreased production costs (primarily feed), sustained demand for poultry meat, and a less intense occurrence of avian influenza compared to previous years.
Trade
According to the European Commission, in the first four months of 2024, both EU imports and exports of poultry products were significantly higher than the previous year. However, exports of poultry products grew at twice the rate of imports compared to the same period in 2023. In the period from January to April 2024, EU countries exported 690 thousand tons of poultry products (in carcass equivalent) abroad, which is 12% more year-on-year, while poultry imports amounted to 304 thousand tons and were 5.5% higher than the previous year. Preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance indicates a dynamic increase (by 10.5%, to 733 thousand tons) in exports of poultry products from Poland in the period from January to April 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Factors stimulating the growth of Polish poultry exports in the first four months of 2024 included sustained demand for poultry meat, both in the European Union and, primarily, on non-EU markets, as well as the competitive pricing of domestic product offerings on the EU market, which remained competitive despite significant appreciation of the national currency against the euro and the US dollar compared to the situation a year earlier.
Poland
Poland has witnessed a growing trend in poultry meat production since the beginning of 2024. According to the Polish Statistical Office, from January to May 2024, domestic poultry meat production exceeded 1.4 million tons, representing a 5.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This intensified domestic poultry production was primarily driven by a decrease in feed prices, which significantly impact production profitability. Additionally, export demand, high domestic consumption, and the competitive pricing of poultry compared to pork encouraged producers to increase output. Given the current market situation and improved profitability of poultry farming, a moderate increase in Polish poultry production is likely throughout 2024.
Domestic Market
In the Polish domestic market, the procurement price of broiler chickens in early June 2024 showed a moderate increase, which had been observed since mid-February 2024. This price increase was supported by sustained high domestic demand for this type of meat due to its competitive pricing compared to other sources of animal protein. Simultaneously, export demand, caused by the maintenance of competitive pricing on the EU market and increased export opportunities to non-EU markets after Poland regained its avian influenza-free status in April 2024, also exerted upward pressure on broiler chicken procurement prices in Poland. Despite the upward trend, average procurement prices for broiler chickens were lower than the previous year. However, due to lower feed prices, the profitability of chicken production was higher than the previous year.
Source: KOWR