In the latest issue of its World Poultry Outlook, published August 3rd, the USDA forecast the world poultry meat production will increase 2% globally to 100 million MT, in 2011.
Despite this being half of last year’s rate of increase for poultry meat production worldwide, it is much faster than that of other competing proteins, mostly beef and pork.
USDA attributes the slowdown in the production rate to high feed costs and the resurgence in avian diseases. Those most affected by high feed costs are Brazil, China, the EU and the US. These players account, altogether, for two thirds of the world’s poultry meat production.