Poultry is on the rise in Mexico

 Since Mexican households spent an estimated $1.4 billion on poultry products in 2020, this suggests that chicken, eggs, and egg products remain the most popular and affordable animal protein in the country.

Mexico's poultry sector produces various types of broiler chickens for meat production, including smaller broilers for grill restaurants, chickens for processing and processed meat or convenience foods, and whole chickens. Production cycles for each type vary from 8 to 12 weeks depending on the market weight.

Chicken production is projected to rise to 875,000 tonnes in 2022, up 1.7% from 2021, thanks to rising domestic demand, positive domestic pricing due to the expiration of long-established tariff rate quotas, and relatively less volatile spending on stern.

Chicken consumption is projected to reach 4,767 million tons in 2022, about 2% more than in 2021. Although the average Mexican consumer consumes less animal protein, among higher- and middle-income consumers, including tourists, overall consumer demand for chicken is on the rise, so it remains the most consumed meat in Mexico, accounting for nearly 60% of total meat consumption.

Poultry meat imports account for about 18% of Mexico's total domestic chicken consumption, and chilled legs and mechanically deboned chicken meat from the United States account for almost half of all imports. Frozen breasts, wings and legs are also imported from Brazil. Companies that further process poultry for use in products such as sausages, hams and cold cuts are a major source of import demand. Chicken imports are projected to reach 875,000 tons in 2022, almost 2% more than in 2021 due to increased demand for chicken meat for further processing.

Chicken exports are expected to rise nearly 17% to 8,000 tons in 2022, driven by strong U.S. demand for cooked ready-to-eat foods. Mexican processors are gradually expanding the export of these products.

Meanwhile, Mexican veterinary authorities are looking forward to resuming negotiations with China to achieve recognition of avian influenza free zones in 2022, seeking new market access in China .

Mexican consumers generally prefer chicken and pork over turkey. However, as more Mexicans show interest in US traditions, roast turkey is also a popular seasonal dish to celebrate Christmas or New Year's.

The consumption of turkey meat in 2022 is expected to remain unchanged (181,000 t) from 2021, mainly limited to turkey meat for further processing into meat products. Turkey production is expected to fall to 17,000 tons in 2022, about 5.5% less than in 2021, as producers replace turkey production with more profitable chicken production. High production costs, longer production cycles and limited government incentives continue to encourage turkey growers to switch to chicken production.

Mexico relies heavily on imports to meet domestic demand for turkeys. Imports are forecast to reach 155,000 tons in 2022, almost 2% more than in 2021. Exports are expected to fall to 1,300 tons in 2022, down 13% from 2021 due to strong domestic demand and reduced export supplies.

Mexico remains the world's leading consumer of eggs and egg products, and demand for eggs and egg products will also rise as consumers respond to higher meat prices. Egg consumption is expected to reach 25.23kg per capita in 2022, up 3% from 2021, thanks to strong demand for affordable protein. Egg production is expected to rise to 3.19 million tonnes, up 3% from 2021, driven by strong growth in domestic demand, improved laying hen genetics and investment in egg technology.