Global sales of exported fresh chicken totaled US$9.2 billion in 2023. Exports of frozen chicken attracted higher international sales at $21.2 billion.
However, the value of fresh chicken exports by country increased by an average 36.4% since 2019 when fresh chicken meat shipments were valued at $6.7 billion. On the other hand, total frozen chicken meat shipments appreciated at a slower rate, up by 26.5% from $16.8 billion over the same 5-year period.
By value, the 5 largest exporters of fresh chicken are Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, United States of America and Germany. That leading quintet sold approaching three-quarters (70.7%) of fresh poultry exported worldwide.
Exports of frozen poultry are slightly less concentrated than their fresh meat counterparts. The top 5 frozen poultry shippers (Brazil, United States of America, Thailand, Netherlands and Poland) generated for 69.9% of globally exported frozen chicken meat in 2023.
Six-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code prefixes are 020711 for whole fresh or chilled chicken, 020713 for fresh or chilled chicken cuts and offal, 020712 for whole frozen chicken and 020714 for frozen chicken cuts and offal. The statistics from those four HTS code prefixes were consolidated for the following analysis.
In 2019, the percentage of all shipments for frozen chicken was 71.4% compared to 28.6% for fresh poultry meat. Five years later the percentage share for frozen poultry shipments in 2023 rose to 69.9% while exports of fresh chicken advanced to 30.1% for 2023.
Fresh Chicken Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled chicken during 2023, encompassing both cut and whole fresh chicken.
- Poland: US$2.4 billion (25.8% of total fresh poultry exports)
- Netherlands: $1.8 billion (19.5%)
- Belgium: $943 million (10.3%)
- United States: $900.1 million (9.8%)
- Germany: $483 million (5.3%)
- mainland China: $272.8 million (3%)
- France: $261.7 million (2.9%)
- Italy: $255.3 million (2.8%)
- Austria: $239.4 million (2.6%)
- Hungary: $213.8 million (2.3%)
- Ukraine: $189.7 million (2.1%)
- Spain: $188 million (2.1%)
- Romania: $174.1 million (1.9%)
- United Kingdom: $90.3 million (1%)
- Slovakia: $88.6 million (1%)
By value, the above countries produced 92.3% of fresh chicken exported during 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of fresh poultry since 2019 were: Poland (up 82.8%), Italy (up 67%), Romania (up 66.9%) and the United States of America (up 58.9%).
The United Kingdom was the sole top supplier to record a decline in its exported fresh poultry sales, recording a -7.5% setback from 2022.
Frozen Chicken Exports by Country
Fresh chicken meat export leaders Netherlands, Poland and the United States also make the list of major frozen chicken exporters. However, they fall far behind Brazil in topping international sales of frozen poultry.
The following list showcases the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of frozen chicken during 2023.
- Brazil: US$8.8 billion (41.4% of total frozen poultry)
- United States: $3.6 billion (16.8%)
- Thailand: $1.31 billion (6.2%)
- Netherlands: $1.26 billion (5.9%)
- Poland: $1.1 billion (5%)
- Türkiye: $759.8 million (3.6%)
- Ukraine: $585.9 million (2.8%)
- Russia: $559.5 million (2.6%)
- mainland China: $340 million (1.6%)
- Belarus: $291.6 million (1.4%)
- Chile: $280.3 million (1.3%)
- Germany: $273.6 million (1.3%)
- France: $258.7 million (1.2%)
- Spain: $194.6 million (0.9%)
- Belgium: $178.1 million (0.8%)
By value, the 15 countries listed above shipped 93.5% of all exports for frozen chicken meat during 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of frozen poultry since 2019 were: Belarus (up 229.3%), Russia (up 88.9%), Thailand (up 69.6%) and mainland China (up 48.6%).
One leading supplier posted a decline in its exported frozen poultry, specifically Chile which recorded a -13.1% slowdown from 2022).
See also Top Fresh or Frozen Chicken Imports by Country, Big Export Sales for Frozen Shrimps, Top Beef Exporting Countries, Pork Exports by Country and Top Red Meat Exporters Ranked by Dollar Value
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 29, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 29, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 29, 2024