Price of poultry meat

The price of poultry meat is estimated at 330.7 index points in 2025, reflecting a modest decline of 0.6% from the previous year. This movement follows a period of volatility as markets continue to adjust to supply and demand fluctuations and after-effects of the exceptional price spikes recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stabilization trend is primarily attributed to increased poultry supply, aligning closely with consumer demand and contributing to downward pressure on prices in the short term.

The poultry meat market experienced significant price volatility from 2020 to 2025. In 2021 and 2022, sharp increases of 38.5% and 42.3%, respectively, were driven by supply constraints following producer culls in 2020 and a rapid rebound in consumer demand as pandemic restrictions eased. Producers struggled to meet this surge in demand, intensifying upward pressure on prices. In response, supply expanded in 2023, with the USDA estimating a marked increase in poultry output. This supply increase led to an 11.2% price decline in 2023, followed by a further 2.3% drop in 2024. The annualized price growth rate from 2020 to 2025 stands at approximately 7.9%. Key macroeconomic factors influencing price movements over this period include ongoing shifts in consumer dietary preferences toward poultry, rising feed and energy costs, and international trade patterns impacted by disease outbreaks such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). For example, HPAI-related export restrictions in prior years elevated domestic supply, exerting downward pressure on prices. Feed price fluctuations also played a prominent role; while global grain prices eased in some years, ongoing energy market volatility contributed to feed cost uncertainty, especially with corn and soybeans remaining in high demand for biofuel production.

Despite fluctuations, the average price level in 2025 remains well above pre-pandemic values. The cumulative effect of post-pandemic supply-demand imbalances, biofuel policy influencing feed costs, and recurring animal health events has resulted in a new baseline for poultry prices. Additionally, consumer interest in organic and premium poultry products has sustained higher price points despite occasional short-term corrections. Overall, the five-year period has set a higher structural price level compared with previous decades, underpinned by both demand-side shifts and input market pressures.