Industry Trends
The EU stopped accepting Brazilian poultry on 3 September 2026 over antimicrobial-use compliance. USDA now assumes Brazil stays out through 2027, with volumes redirected to Africa and the EU share to be backfilled by Thailand, China, Ukraine and the UK.
Defra raised the highly pathogenic H5 risk in wild birds in Great Britain from low to medium on 1 October, Belgium confirmed H5N1 on 30 September and Cyprus ordered nationwide housing on 29 September, as WOAH-reported high-pathogen detections in wild birds overseas more than doubled in January-August 2026.
USDA's Dubai post forecast UAE chicken meat imports for domestic consumption rising to 410,000 tonnes in 2027 from 350,000 tonnes in 2026, with consumption recovering to 485,000 tonnes as Strait of Hormuz shipping disruption eases and volumes return through Khorfakkan and Fujairah. Domestic production covers only 15-18 percent of consumption.
The UAE took 45,900 tonnes of Brazilian chicken in September 2026, up 23.3% year on year and the highest of any destination, while Saudi Arabia ranked fourth at 38,300 tonnes (+7.4%). Total Brazilian chicken exports reached 500,300 tonnes in the month, worth US$984.2 million.
Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety suspended poultry meat, products and egg imports from Big Stone and Kandiyohi counties in Minnesota, Ravalli County in Montana, Barron County in Wisconsin and the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, after WOAH notifications of H5N1 and H5N5 outbreaks.
Pakistani government documents reported on 7 October 2026 list 14 established meat export markets and confirm that poultry market access is being pursued in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with meat and poultry exports to Saudi Arabia at US$191.5 million in FY2025-26.
