EN 
PT_BR 
The chicken market registered a price drop in March, but maintained equilibrium driven by export performance. In São Paulo, whole frozen chicken fell to R$ 7/kg, 2.4% below February and 17% lower than a year ago. At the beginning of April, prices rebounded, returning to R$ 7.25/kg.
With the devaluation of protein throughout the year and the rise in beef prices, chicken gained competitiveness. The exchange ratio exceeded 3 kg of chicken per kg of beef forequarter, a level approximately 30% above the historical average for March and above the peak of the last five years, recorded in 2021. Compared to pork, which also experienced a price drop, the ratio remained close to the average, around 1.3 kg of chicken per kg of pork.
According to data from Itaú BBA Agro Consulting, March was also positive for Brazilian chicken meat exports, even in the face of logistical difficulties related to the conflict in the Middle East. Shipments totaled 431,000 tons in natura, an increase of 5.61 TP4T compared to March 2025 and 4.91 TP4T in the accumulated total for the first quarter.
Photo: Ari Dias
The average export price, on the other hand, fell by 2.7% compared to the previous month, a movement associated with the redirection of cargo that was previously destined for Middle Eastern countries, especially the United Arab Emirates. Even so, the strong performance of markets such as Japan, China, the Philippines, and South Africa offset the losses in the region.
On the supply side, chicken slaughtering increased by approximately 31% year-on-year in March and 21% year-on-year in the first quarter. Despite this, the increase in exports, which advanced 5.41% during the period, helped to avoid signs of oversupply in the domestic market.
