Poultry

2024-25 GVP jumped to $1.2 billion, up 12% from a year ago.
Production climbed 11% to 597,000 tonnes over the year.
Meanwhile, farmgate prices rose modestly (up 1%) over 2024-25.

Chicken meat GVP climbed over 2024-25, rising 12% year-on-year to $1.2 billion. Higher chicken meat production accounted for most of the lift in value, with production jumping by over 11% for the year to 597,000 tonnes. At the farmgate level, chicken prices rose modestly (up 1%). Meanwhile, chicken consumption per capita rose 5% over 2024-25 as chicken's retail price advantage over red meat widened during the year.

Production

Chicken Meat Production by State

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Source: ABS (2025)

NSW chicken meat production climbed 11% in 2024-25 to 597,000 tonnes. This increased NSW’s share of Australian production to 39%, with 1,535,000 tonnes produced nationwide over the year. NSW posted the largest annual increase of the major producing-states, with production 3% higher in Victoria and mostly flat in Queensland (up 0.2%). NSW is the largest producer of chicken meat.

The average meat per bird also increased to 2.3kg dressed weight. NSW produces the largest birds in Australia, with the average carcase weight in Victoria and Queensland just over 1.85kg in 2024-25.

In June 2024, two commercial farms (including one chicken meat farm) tested positive for the HPAI H7N8 strain of avian influenza in the Hawkesbury region. DPIRD initialised an emergency response which concluded in January 2025. Note this strain is not connected to the strain in Victoria causing the egg shortage in 2024-25 experienced across Australia.¹⁵

Prices and Trade

Prices

Implied farmgate prices in NSW rose a touch over 2024-25, up 1% to $1.96/kg. Grain prices continued to soften for NSW, easing cost pressures for integrated poultry producers at the farmgate. These lower costs will have helped generate the increase in supply as discussed above and, in turn, kept farmgate prices largely in check. Meanwhile, retail poultry prices also rose 1% over 2024-25. While poultry prices increased modestly, red meat retail prices posted much larger increases, widening the price advantage of chicken over red meat. This price advantage encouraged consumers to switch to poultry, increasing chicken demand. This increased demand led to a 5% rise in national per capita consumption of chicken meat.¹⁷⁷

Trade

Australian poultry meat is mainly grown for the domestic market, with only a small share exported. NSW poultry export values dipped 31% year-on-year to $14 million for the 2024-25 year. Papua New Guinea accounted for almost all of the export decline, with exports falling from $8 million to $1 million or a 90% decrease over the year. As a result, the Solomon Islands leapt into first spot, with exports surging 87% to nearly $4 million over 2024-25.¹⁵⁵

Implied NSW Farmgate Chicken Prices

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Source: ABARES (2025)

Outlook

The 2025-26 outlook for chicken meat industry is positive. With consumer sentiment still soft as cost-of-living pressures persist and as red meat prices remain relatively high, consumer demand for (relatively cheap) chicken is likely to remain firm over the year ahead. At the same time, the outlook is for feed prices to soften over the year. This combination should keep producer margins at healthy levels, thus incentivising further increases in production.

Meanwhile, the announced Baiada poultry processing plant expansion in Tamworth is set to be completed in early 2026. The plant will have the capacity to process up to three million chickens per week. The factory opening will also lead to an increase in chicken grown on contract by local farmer suppliers.⁹⁵