Global sales of fresh chicken shipments amounted to US$6.7 billion in 2019, while exported frozen chicken continues to attract much higher international sales at $16.4 billion.

Overall, the value of fresh chicken exports by country increased in value by an average 27% since 2015 when fresh chicken meat shipments were valued at $5.3 billion. In comparison, total frozen chicken meat shipments appreciated by 6.8% over the same 5-year period.

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.

Chicken Exports by Country: Fresh

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh or chilled chicken during 2019, encompassing both cut and uncut fresh meat.

1. Netherlands: US$1.5 billion (21.9% of total fresh poultry exports)
2. Poland: $1.3 billion (19.2%)
3. Belgium: $669 million (9.9%)
4. United States: $566 million (8.4%)
5. Germany: $436.2 million (6.5%)
6. China: $253 million (3.8%)
7. France: $220.5 million (3.3%)
8. Belarus: $174.3 million (2.6%)
9. Austria: $157 million (2.3%)
10. Spain: $155 million (2.3%)
11. Italy: $154.3 million (2.3%)
12. Hungary: $148.9 million (2.2%)
13. Romania: $106 million (1.6%)
14. United Kingdom: $97.7 million (1.5%)
15. Saudi Arabia: $89.4 million (1.3%)

The above countries produced 89.1% of fresh chicken exports during 2019.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing fresh poultry exporters since 2015 were: Poland (up 106.4%), Austria (up 68.4%), Spain (up 59%) and the Netherlands (up 35.1%).

Four countries posted declines in their exported fresh poultry sales namely: United States of America (down -25.7%), United Kingdom (down -19.1%), Germany (down -9.6%) and Saudi Arabia (down -0.8%).

 

Chicken Exports by Country: Frozen

Fresh chicken meat export leaders United States and Netherlands also make the list of major frozen chicken exporters. However, they fall far behind Brazil in topping international sales of frozen poultry.

Here are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of frozen chicken during 2019.

1. Brazil: US$6.3 billion (38.6% of total frozen poultry exports)
2. United States: $2.7 billion (16.4%)
3. Netherlands: $1.2 billion (7.4%)
4. Poland: $806.7 million (4.9%)
5. Turkey: $540.1 million (3.3%)
6. Argentina: $414.6 million (2.5%)
7. Hong Kong: $397 million (2.4%)
8. Chile: $321.6 million (2%)
9. Russia: $296.1 million (1.8%)
10. Ukraine: $255.5 million (1.6%)
11. France: $246 million (1.5%)
12. United Kingdom: $231.8 million (1.4%)
13. China: $228.8 million (1.4%)
14. Germany: $192.3 million (1.2%)
15. Belgium: $168.7 million (1%)

The 15 countries listed above shipped 88.3% of all exported frozen chicken meat for 2019.

Among the above countries, the fastest-growing frozen poultry exporters since 2015 were: Russia (up 332.6%), Poland (up 63%), Argentina (up 34.8%) and United Kingdom (up 33.2%).

Four countries posted declines in their exported frozen poultry exports sales namely: France (down -49.5%), Hong Kong (down -47.7%), Belgium (down -22.7%) and China (down -15.9%).

See also Top Fresh or Frozen Chicken Imports by Country, Big Export Sales for Frozen Shrimps, Top Beef Exporting Countries and Pork Exports by Country

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on April 29, 2020

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 29, 2020

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 29, 2020