The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service post in Argentina estimates 2025 chicken meat exports to increase to 180,000 metric tons which assumes the Chinese market remains closed in 2025, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report.
Chile, traditionally Argentina’s second largest market, reopened in July 2024 and trade recovery is expected.
Poultry producers anticipate an opportunity to expand exports further if Argentina is able to resume shipments to China. China (which represented 22 percent of Argentina’s chicken meat exports before the HPAI outbreak) has historically been the top target for Argentine chicken meat exporters. After the Chinese government technical visit to Argentina in May 2024, industry is hopeful the market could be re-opened by the end of the year.
The Philippines also sent a technical mission to Argentina in July 2024 that visited 55 poultry plants but the results in the technical report are still pending. The industry expects that the Philippines could be an important market for the Argentine exports. Many exporters believe the government will likely devalue the currency before the end of 2024, which could improve export prospects. In addition, industry contacts believe the government’s debt negotiations could lead to a reduction in the gap between the official dollar exchange rate and the various informal ones, helping the sector to improve its competitiveness.
CY 2024 chicken meat exports are projected significantly up in comparison to revised 2023 figures, increasing to 170,000 tons mainly attributed to the re-opening of Chile, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and South Africa and other export markets.
