China Flips to Net Exporter of Chicken

China has abruptly flipped from net importer to net exporter of chicken since 2023, and the trend continues in 2026. This development has been noted in the poultry annual issued by USDA's China office, by a Chinese article highlighting the USDA report, and by another Chinese article posted in July.

The simultaneous surge in Chinese chicken exports and plummeting imports is dramatic when compared to historical performance. USDA data show no trend in China's exports of chicken meat until 2023 when they suddenly began booming and nearly doubled by 2025. USDA projects another rise in exports in 2026. Back in 2020 China had become a net importer of chicken when imports spiked due to reopening of the market to U.S. product after an HPAI outbreak, the Phase One trade agreement with the U.S., and substitution of poultry for pork during the 2019-20 pork shortage caused by a Chinese African swine fever epidemic. China's chicken imports remained historically high until 2023. But since then imports have dropped from over 750,000 metric tons to under 300,000 metric tons in 2025. Imports are falling again this year. (The USDA data don't include chicken smuggled into China which used to be quite substantial.)

Data from USDA's Production, Supply & Distribution database.

USDA's data indicates that China will account for 9.5% of global chicken exports in 2026, up from 4% in 2023. That reverses China's importance as a chicken importer which peaked at 9.5% of global imports in 2020 and is projected to fall to 2% in 2026.

China's peak chicken import years correspond to peaks in Chinese wholesale prices for chicken in 2019 and 2023. Chicken prices have dropped since then--as have many commodity prices in China. U.S. prices also surged from 2020 to 2023, undermining competitiveness of U.S. poultry in the international market. Chinese internal chicken prices still exceed the average in the U.S. and Brazilian export prices. Brazil first emerged as a source of Chinese chicken imports in 2010 when China assessed anti-dumping duties on U.S. broiler meat. This year Brazil's export prices are about half the wholesale price in China and much lower than U.S. prices. 

China Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Affairs, USDA (national composite), and FAO.

While overall wholesale prices indicate trends and fluctuations, each part of the chicken is a separate market. Chinese customs data show that feet, wings, and unspecified frozen chicken parts and offal composed most of China's imports during the peak years. Imports of these parts fell by about 50% from 2023 to 2025. The Chinese data indicate that all components of chicken imports peaked during 2020-21 after rising dramatically from 2018 to 2020. Imports during 2025 still exceeded imports during 2017 and 2018, but imports have fallen again during the first half of 2026. Chicken feet were the most prominent component of imports during the peak years.

China General Administration of Customs.
Prepared chicken imports consist primarily of cooked chicken feet.

China's increasing poultry exports were comprised of both frozen chicken parts and prepared chicken--predominantly breasts and wings. Exports of duck also began rising in 2024 and 2025. 

China General Administration of Customs.

Nearly half of China's poultry exports in 2026 (by volume) were composed of frozen chicken parts. About a third was composed of prepared chicken parts, mainly breast and legs. Whole chickens (frozen, chilled and fresh) were a small proportion. Frozen duck parts and prepared duck comprised about one-fifth of poultry exports. 

By volume. China customs data.

Brazil was the chief supplier of China's chicken feet imports during 2026. All suppliers have seen reduced imports in the first half of 2026.

China General Administration of Customs.

Rejections of chicken imports by Chinese customs agree with USDA's report from industry sources that China's inspection and testing requirements for chicken have become stricter. Chinese customs rarely rejected shipments of chicken until 2025 when 13,407 metric tons were rejected. Another 7000 metric tons have been rejected in the first half of 2026. Most of the rejections were comprised of cooked U.S. chicken feet from various companies (HS 16023299). An industry report noted that many American suppliers began cooking chicken feet when U.S. poultry was banned by China due to HPAI concerns. Detection of furazolidone metabolites was the predominant reason given for the rejections of U.S. poultry, with a smaller number rejected for failing sensory inspections.

Compiled from China Customs web site.

China's exports of frozen chicken went to more than 60 countries in H1 2026, largely in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Russia was the top destination for frozen chicken parts, with a value of $99.2 million in the first half of 2026 and growth of nearly 50% year-on-year. Hong Kong was number-2, with exports of $65.9 million--down slightly from the previous year. Other top export markets for frozen chicken parts included Malaysia ($51.5 mil.), Cambodia ($44.3 mil.), Ghana ($37.8 mil.), Kyrgyzstan ($34.5 mil), Lybia ($32.7 mil), and Mongolia ($31.5 mil). More than 40 partners had frozen chicken part exports of less than $1 million. Most countries saw growth in exports during 2026.

The top market for China's exports of prepared chicken breast meat is Japan (115,500 metric tons in H1 2026). Other top markets are the UK (35,500 metric tons), Hong Kong (24,500 metric tons), and 17 EU countries (combined 24,500 metric tons). China also shipped small amounts of cooked chicken breast to about 40 other partners that included wealthy countries such as Singapore, Australia, the U.S., Canada, and Norway, as well as countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. 

Chicken breast, HS 16023291.

The European Union was the top market for China's duck exports with $37.4 million in H1 2026. North Korea ($28.5 million), South Korea ($24.8 million), and Japan ($22.6 million) were the other top markets for duck. 

Market analysts attribute China's international competitiveness to surging production. Indeed, official data say China's poultry production in H1 2026 was up 9.4% year-over-year, faster growth than any other type of livestock. This follows 55% growth from 2015 to 2025, including 11% since 2023. 

Reports say the increase in chicken production has yielded an adequate supply of domestic chicken feet, but a March 15 "consumer day" broadcast by Chinese Central TV exposed bleached chicken feet and photos of piles of chicken feet in appalling sanitary conditions. After the expose food safety authorities made a show of penalizing multiple Chinese chicken feet suppliers for excessive bacteria counts and use of hydrogen peroxide. 

CCTV broadcast showed chicken feet on the floor in a Chongqing workshop and workers standing in crates used for food products.