Avian influenza (AI) isn’t bogging down the world poultry market, finds Rabobank’s latest quarterly report
Bullish market fundamentals, balanced regional supply, high beef price and low feed costs have managed to sustain the industry, said the Rabobank report. In addition, the number of avian influenza outbreaks have been lower in the past few months and the various poultry producing regions now have more time to recover.
Chicken is easily the cheaper protein option, compared to beef and pork, with consumers in Thailand, Indonesia, India, Russia and Brazil opting for it. For late 2015 and 2016, the forecast for the poultry industry looks bullish, said the Rabobank report, propelled by low feed prices and low global breeding stock supply.
However, the report recommended, that optimum biosecurity measures are needed as there is always a risk of a major outbreak of the virus. Especially with Thailand and Brazil taking a greater share of poultry trade compared to the USA and China, there is enhanced focus on these countries to ensure no fresh outbreak happens in the next few months.
