Domestic demand lifts Brazilian chicken prices
Brazilian chicken meat prices climbed in early September as wage payments and a national holiday increased final consumer demand, according to Cepea. August exports totaled 492,600 tonnes, down 5.1% from July but 24.8% higher than a year earlier, when a bird flu case in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, affected trade. Cepea expects shipments to recover in the fourth quarter as international demand typically rises.
Cepea attributed the early-September price increase to workers receiving wages and the September 7 national holiday, which together lifted final consumer purchases. Higher demand pushed chicken meat values up across multiple regions surveyed.
August shipments reached 492,600 tonnes of fresh and processed chicken, Secex data show. That was 5.1% below July but 24.8% above August last year, when a bird flu case in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, led to export restrictions. Cepea views seasonal shipment declines as normal and expects fourth-quarter acceleration as global demand rises.
Higher chicken prices in early September may squeeze household food budgets, especially for lower-income Brazilian consumers who rely on poultry as an affordable protein. Producers and exporters could benefit if fourth-quarter international demand recovers, supporting jobs in processing, feed, and logistics. However, stronger exports might tighten domestic supply, potentially keeping retail prices elevated for consumers. The net effect may depend on how quickly shipments and domestic demand balance in coming months.