The United Arab Emirates was the top destination for Brazilian chicken meat exports in October 2026, while Saudi Arabia ranked second, according to data released on November 9 by meat industry association ABPA. Purchases from both Gulf nations increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period in 2025.
UAE imports rose 29.8% year-on-year to 53,200 tonnes, compared to 41,000 tonnes in October 2025. Saudi Arabia imported 47,900 tonnes, up 30.6% from 36,600 tonnes. China was the third-largest importer for the month with 46,800 tonnes, followed by Japan with 38,700 tonnes and South Africa with 30,100 tonnes.
Across all destinations, Brazil exported 512,800 tonnes of fresh and processed poultry products in October, up 2.3% from 501,400 tonnes a year earlier. Total export revenue rose 14.9% to USD 994.1 million, compared to USD 865.4 million in October 2025.
From January to October 2026, total Brazilian chicken shipments reached 4.9 million tonnes, representing a 12.7% increase year-on-year, while total revenue grew 20.4% to USD 9.7 billion. China led purchases across the first 10 months of the year, followed by the UAE, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union.
ABPA President Ricardo Santin stated that sanitary regionalization protocols helped isolate restrictions to Santa Catarina state following detections of Newcastle disease in commercial poultry farms, mitigating the impact on nationwide export shipments while diplomatic discussions continue to restore access to restricted markets.
Sources
- Agência de Notícias Brasil-Árabe - ANBA · 2026-11-09
