This Chinese export boom really has legs – and wings
YUM•China exported $2.6 billion worth of chicken products last year, almost double 2020 levels, as producers send surplus food abroad amid weak domestic demand. Chinese companies have doubled their share of the EU processed-poultry market to 10% since 2022.
1. Surplus drives exports
Chinese protein producers are expanding overseas as domestic demand weakens and production outpaces consumption. China became a net chicken exporter last year, shipping $2.6 billion in chicken products, while dairy exports are on track to reach $600 million this year.
2. Domestic demand shifts
Per-capita pork consumption has fallen 13% since its 2023 peak, while chicken intake rose more than 50% per capita in the decade through 2024. China produced a record 59 million metric tons of pork last year, and poultry output rose 7%, despite tepid demand and falling prices across pork, poultry and dairy.
3. Market share draws scrutiny
China has doubled its share of the EU processed-poultry market to 10% since 2022 and tripled its UK share to more than 14%, according to Gira data. The European Commission launched an anti-dumping probe into Chinese Pekin duck imports in July; chicken has not faced the same action, though authorities are monitoring the market. Chinese chicken products are attracting buyers in part because they are cheaper than competitors’ products.
