China’s growing chicken exports are pushing Brazilian processors to diversify markets and expand their overseas presence, even as industry executives see limited competitive risk in the near term.
China accounted for 4.8% of Brazil’s chicken export volume in 2025, down from 16.3% in 2020, when an African swine fever outbreak drove stronger Chinese demand for imported meat, according to data compiled by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).
The executives spoke Wednesday at SIAVS, the International Animal Protein Show in São Paulo, an event organized by ABPA.
“China should not be underestimated. It has already shown it can achieve impressive things,” said Neivor Canton, president of Aurora Coop, a cooperative group based in the southern state of Santa Catarina.
Canton said China has already become less important as a buyer and that its import demand is likely to decline gradually. Brazil, he said, cannot rely on a limited number of markets and has worked to diversify its customer base in recent years.
He cited Russia as a precedent. The country once bought 60% of Brazil’s pork exports but no longer ranks among its 20 largest customers.
Brazil’s edge
João Campos, CEO of Seara, said Brazil’s well-regarded animal-health controls and its ability to respond quickly to shifts in demand remain important competitive advantages.
“Against China or any other competitor, we need to use our scale efficiently, and Brazil has done that very well whenever it has been challenged,” Campos said.
Miguel Gularte, CEO of MBRF, described China as the defining animal-protein demand story of the past decade. But he said producers must stay close to consumers and build a durable local presence.
“You cannot move in and out of a market. You have to maintain a responsible presence and build consumption habits,” Gularte said.
BRF, the Sadia owner that later became part of MBRF, announced its entry into China in 2024 through the acquisition of a processed-food plant.
Overseas operations are also becoming more important for Brazilian meat companies, particularly in the Middle East.
Earlier in 2026, Seara parent JBS inaugurated a plant in Jeddah and announced a partnership with ENTAJ, the Arabian Company for Agricultural and Industrial Investment, to produce whole chickens and other poultry cuts locally in Saudi Arabia.
MBRF has also made several investments in the kingdom and partnered with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund through Sadia Halal.
Campos said local operations allow companies to develop products and brands around consumer demand. At the same time, Gularte said globalization is making expectations more consistent across regions.
“A homemaker in Saudi Arabia, Europe or the United States wants the same convenience,” Gularte said.
This story was translated from the original Portuguese with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by The AgriBiz editorial staff.
