Poultry demand stays strong as global chicken output heads for another growth year in 2026

Chicken remains the world’s most affordable meat, and that price advantage is set to keep global poultry production on an upward path into 2026. A new RaboResearch outlook projects another year of solid growth, with global poultry meat output expected to rise by about 2.5 percent, extending a three-year run of expansion that has averaged close to three percent annually.

Source: zootecnicainternational

The momentum is being driven by consumers trading down from more expensive proteins. Beef and eggs continue to cost more in many markets, while chicken remains within reach for households facing tight budgets. Improving economic conditions across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and parts of South and Central America are also feeding demand. RaboResearch notes that the growing use of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic may even tilt diets further toward lean proteins, giving chicken an additional lift.

The outlook, however, is not without risk. Avian influenza is already reshaping supply patterns and could inject sharp volatility into the market next year. Outbreaks have hit poultry production hard in parts of northwest Europe and Spain, while cases are rising in the United States. The disease has triggered export bans and supply disruptions, tightening availability both locally and globally.

Pressure is already visible in the hatching egg market. Limited global grandparent stock, combined with repeated avian influenza losses, has pushed hatching egg prices to record levels. RaboResearch warns that prices could climb further if outbreaks persist. Trade policy is another wild card, with sudden shifts in US trade decisions capable of redirecting global poultry flows with little notice.

Global poultry trade is still expected to grow in 2026, but at a slower pace than production, with volumes forecast to rise by 1.5 to 2 percent. Many large markets are placing greater emphasis on domestic supply, using quotas, tariffs and food security measures to limit imports. This trend is visible across countries such as India, Indonesia, the United States, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, China and South Africa.

Brazil is positioned to gain ground in export markets as conditions stabilise, while China is also expected to ship more poultry meat abroad next year. In Europe, export volumes came under pressure in 2025 even as imports increased. Thailand and China sharply expanded shipments into the EU, taking advantage of high prices and reduced competition from Brazil, which was constrained by avian influenza earlier in the year.