EN 
PT_BR 
The beginning of 2026 started with a decline in chicken meat prices, following the typical behavior of the period, marked by lower domestic demand. Even with the pressure on prices and the increase in supply, the sector continues to have margins supported by record export levels and controlled production costs, according to data from... Itaú BBA Agricultural Consulting.
Poultry protein prices fell at the beginning of the year, unlike the previous two years when prices remained firmer during the first quarter. In the state of São Paulo, whole frozen poultry accumulated a decrease of 14% between the beginning of the year and February 9th, with a slight recovery in recent days, reaching values close to R$ 7 per kilo. A similar movement was observed in pork, while beef carcasses maintained firm prices.
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On the supply side, production continues to grow year-on-year, driven by the strong pace of chick placements in December, which was 8% higher than that recorded in the same month of 2024. In the foreign market, January set a new record for the period, with shipments of 459,000 tons, a volume 3.6% higher than that of January 2025. The average export price was close to US$1,905 per ton, an increase of 2.1% compared to the previous year.
The spread for slaughtered chicken, which measures the relationship between the wholesale price and the cost of production, decreased and returned to the historical average of 36%, compared to 42% recorded in the previous month. The reduction occurred due to the fall in the price of poultry and a slight increase of 0.6% in costs. Even so, the indicator remains at a positive level, with the sector benefiting from controlled feed costs, even in the face of increased supply.
With the drop in prices since the beginning of the year, chicken meat has also become more competitive compared to beef forequarter. In February 2026, poultry protein became 24% more advantageous compared to the same period last year.
