Of that global spending metric, $22.2 billion (73.2%) was for imported frozen poultry meat. In comparison, $8.1 billion (26.8%) encompasses international spending on imports of fresh or chilled chicken.
The value of globally imported frozen chicken increased by an average 39.9% since 2018 when frozen chicken meat shipments were valued at $15.9 billion. From 2021 to 2022, imported frozen poultry accelerated by 21.9%.
In contrast, imports of fresh or chilled chicken increased at a slower pace (up 14.6% compared to $7.1 billion during 2018) and accelerated in value by a slightly slower 20.8% year over year.
From a continental perspective, buyers in Asia bought 61% of frozen chicken imports but just 4.5% of imported fresh or chilled chicken. In contrast, importers in Europe bought 82% of all imported fresh or chilled chicken compared to 17.2% of frozen chicken imports. North American buyers imported 12.4% of the global subtotal for fresh or chilled chicken and 3.8% for frozen poultry meat.
African importers generated 9.7% of international frozen chicken purchases versus 0.8% of fresh or chilled poultry. For Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, the percentages are 7.6% for frozen chicken versus 0.25% for the fresh classifications.
Another smaller continental player for importing chicken is distant Oceania including Papua New Guinea at 0.8% for frozen product compared to a miniscule 0.07% for fresh or chilled poultry.
For research purposes, the 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.
Chicken Imports by Country: Fresh
Below are the 15 buyer countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled chicken during 2022, encompassing both whole chicken and cut pieces.
- United Kingdom: US$1.4 billion (17.3% of imported fresh/chilled chicken)
- France: $1.14 billion (14.1%)
- Germany: $1.09 billion (13.5%)
- Netherlands: $799.5 million (9.8%)
- Mexico: $585.2 million (7.2%)
- Belgium: $351.1 million (4.3%)
- Canada: $346.9 million (4.3%)
- Hong Kong: $247.8 million (3.1%)
- Austria: $172.3 million (2.1%)
- Ireland: $171.2 million (2.1%)
- Czech Republic: $168 million (2.1%)
- Italy: $149.3 million (1.8%)
- Slovakia: $146.8 million (1.8%)
- Hungary: $115.6 million (1.4%)
- Denmark: $100.8 million (1.2%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing importers fresh/chilled chicken since 2018 were: Italy (up 117.4%), Canada (up 66.9%), United Kingdom (up 65.1%) and France (up 62.3%).
Ireland was the lone top buyer to post a decline in its imports of fresh or chilled chicken purchases pulled down by a -17.4% reduction in spending.
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 86.2% of all fresh/chilled chicken imported in 2022.
Top Chicken Imports by Country: Frozen
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of frozen chicken during 2022.
- China: US$4.1 billion (18.5% of imported frozen chicken)
- Japan: $1.6 billion (7%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.2 billion (5.6%)
- United Arab Emirates: $1.1 billion (4.8%)
- Iraq: $782.1 million (3.5%)
- Netherlands: $634.2 million (2.9%)
- Philippines: $526.2 million (2.4%)
- France: $466.5 million (2.1%)
- Germany: $451.8 million (2%)
- South Korea: $449.7 million (2%)
- Singapore: $443.8 million (2%)
- Angola: $394.4 million (1.8%)
- Mexico: $381.7 million (1.7%)
- Cuba: $362.5 million (1.6%)
- Malaysia: $361.8 million (1.6%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing importers of frozen chicken since 2018 were: Ghana (up 245.8%), mainland China (up 237.6%), United States of America (up 77.3%) and South Korea (up 36.1%).
Those major buyers that posted the severest declines in their imported frozen chicken purchases were: Hong Kong (down -63.9%), United Kingdom (down -34.2%), South Africa (down -28.4%), Iraq (down -24.2%) then Japan (down -10.8%).
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 59.5% of all frozen chicken imported in 2022.
Note that buyers in the United States of America were bumped from the above list, even though American purchases of frozen chicken accelerated by 89.7% to $348.4 million in 2022 compared to $183.6 million for 2018.
Importers of frozen poultry meat in the United Kingdom also missed the top 15 list, due to a -46.3% reduction from $647.6 million in 2018 to $347.7 million for 2022.
See also Chicken Exports by Country, Fresh or Frozen Beef Imports by Country, Pork Exports by Country and Goat Meat Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on August 17, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 17, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 17, 2023