Brazil chicken: UAE, Saudi purchases up 30%

São Paulo - The United Arab Emirates emerged as the top destination for Brazilian chicken exports in October, with Saudi Arabia following closely in second place, according to data released by the Brazil Poultry Producers Association (ABPA). Both nations increased their purchases of Brazilian chicken by approximately 30% compared to the same period last year.

The UAE bought 53,200 tonnes in October, up 29.8% from 41,000 tonnes in October 2025, while Saudi Arabia purchased 47,900 tonnes, a 30.6% increase from 36,600 tonnes in the same month last year. China was the third-largest market, importing 46,800 tonnes, while Japan and South Africa bought 38,700 and 30,100 tonnes, respectively.

China and Japan both saw an increase in purchases, while South Africa's purchases declined. Overall, Brazil exported 512,800 tonnes of chicken in October, including both fresh and processed products, marking a 2.3% increase from 501,400 tonnes in October 2025. Export revenue reached USD 994.1 million, a 14.9% rise from USD 865.4 million in October 2025.

From January to October, Brazilian chicken exports totaled 4.9 million tonnes, a 12.7% increase from the same period last year, with revenue of USD 9.7 billion, up 20.4%. China led purchases in the first ten months of the year, followed by the UAE, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union. ABPA President Ricardo Santin attributed Brazil's strong performance to its sanitary regionalization agreements, which helped limit restrictions to specific areas and maintain most export flows.

However, outbreaks of Newcastle disease in western Santa Catarina state led to purchase restrictions in affected regions, preventing exports from those areas.