National chicken
meat production
stabilizes at about
13.15 million tons and
tries to surmount
adversities in pursuit
of sustainability
Belt-
RECORDE
Em 2015, segundo a ABPA, a produ-
ção brasileira de carne de frango totali-
zou 13,146 milhões de toneladas, volu-
me 3,58% superior ao registrado em 2014.
Com o resultado, o Brasil consolidou-se
como segundo maior produtor de carne
de frango do mundo, superando a China
– que produziu 13,025 milhões de tonela-
das em 2015, segundo o Departamento de
Agricultura dos Estados Unidos (USDA, em
inglês).
O consumo
per capita
de carne de fran-
go atingiu índice médio de 43,25 quilos
em 2015, dado 1,1% maior do que o obti-
do no ano anterior. “Em meio ao cenário
complexo de 2015, a carne de frango am-
pliou sua liderança como a mais consumi-
da pelo brasileiro”, destaca o presidente-
-executivo da ABPA, Francisco Turra. “Isto,
entre outros motivos, é reflexo do aumen-
to no preço da carne bovina nas gôndolas e
da consolidação do frango como uma das
proteínas favoritas do consumidor”.
RECORD
In 2015, according to ABPA sources,
the production of chickens by Brazil to-
taled 13.146 million tons, a volume up
3.58% from 2014. With the result, Brazil
consolidated as second biggest broiler
producer in the world, surpassing China
– which produced 13.025 million tons in
2015, according to the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Consumption per capita of chicken
meat reached an average of 43.25 kilo-
grams in 2015, up 1.1% from the previous
year. “Amid the complex scenario in 2015,
chicken meat expanded its leadership as
the most consumed in Brazil”, says ABPA
president Francisco Turra. “This, among
other reasons, thanks to the soaring price
of beef on the supermarket shelves and
the consolidation of the broiler as a favo-
rite protein with the consumers”.
At the end of 2016, Brazil is repeating the
record chicken meat production of the 2015
season, of about 13.146 million tons, accord-
ing to the Brazilian Association of Animal Pro-
tein (ABPA). The performance comes as a sur-
prise in light of the difficulties faced over the
year with regard to chicken confinement, tak-
ing into consideration the high cost of feed,
especially corn, which went up by more than
120%. The economic crisis generated unem-
ployment, a change in the exchange rate and a
drop in international prices.
Feed represents 75% of the production
costs. The soaring corn price (which also
holds true for soybean) has also affected the
margins of the poultry farmers. Taking as ref-
erence the total chickenmeat produced, ABPA
officials take it that the consumption pro-
file has not changed, with 67% channeled to-
wards domestic consumption – per capita av-
erage is approximately 43.5 kilograms a year
– and 33% are channeled to exports.
“Margins remained tight, consumptiondid
not go up as expected, but the high prices of
bovine meat in the first half of the year and
the gradual loss of Brazilian people’s purchas-
ing power generated important demand for
chicken meat”, explains Ricardo Santin, vice-
president of ABPA’s market department. This
tightening
lent support towards facing the production
costs, though reducing the margins.”
According to the National Food Supply
Agency (Conab), in a study that projected
the development of the sector in the cur-
rent and next season, the nominal prices
of frozen chicken increased by 20.1% from
July 2015 to June 2016. Consumer prices,
reduced by the National Consumer Price
Index (IPCA), measured on a monthly basis
by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and
Statistics (IBGE), went up 8.5% in the peri-
od from July 2015 to June 2016.
According to the study, smaller demand
contributed towards the trend to reduce
chicken meat prices, by virtue of the decelera-
tion of the Brazilian economy and the present
unemployment levels. The depreciation of the
Brazilian currency against the dollar turned
Brazilianmeat (chicken, beef andpork) cheap-
er in the international market, contributing to-
wards risingdemand. Therefore, the reflection
on revenues was not proportional to the lev-
els of volumes exported. The price per net ton
of chickenmeat has dropped 7%, on average.
It is estimated that, once the problems
have been surmounted, especially the price of
corn in the new season, and with a little more
optimism in the market and in the economy,
the production of chicken meat in 2017 will
surely go up, remaining between 13 and 13.5
million tons in Brazil. The expectation is for a
new increase of about 5% in volumes shipped
abroad, and a balance in the relation between
the destination for the national and inter-
national markets (67% to 33%). With these
numbers, the Country should keep ahead of
China, for the third year in a row, as second
biggest producer in the world. In the interna-
tional market, Brazil leads exports in volume.
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