China's Poultry Exports Boom, and the Trade Fights Begin

The EU Opens a Probe Into Chinese Duck

The European Commission has started an anti-dumping investigation into imports of Peking duck from China. The move follows a formal complaint from five Peking duck producers inside the European Union.

The producers say the volume and low pricing of imported duck have hurt their sales, their prices, and their share of the market. The Commission is now studying import and market data from 2025 to decide if dumping has taken place.

The investigation covers duck meat in many forms. This includes whole birds and cuts, fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, in brine, dried, smoked, bone-in, and boneless, plus other prepared or preserved products.

If the Commission finds that dumping happened and that it harmed European producers, it can place anti-dumping duties on Chinese duck imports.

Why the EU Duck Market Matters

The European duck market is worth about 800 million euros each year, according to figures from the French poultry industry. Around 200 million euros of that comes from imports out of China.

Chinese sales to Europe have grown a lot in recent years. One reason is that some Chinese producers moved from pork to poultry after major outbreaks of African swine fever. China now raises an estimated 3.5 to 4 billion ducks a year.

The European complainants also argue that Chinese prices should not be used as a fair benchmark. They say Chinese duck producers get wide state support, including help with land, energy, capital, raw materials, and labour, along with subsidies for local feed mills in provinces such as Shandong.

China Rejects the Accusations

The probe has caused an angry response in China. Industry groups there accuse Brussels of double standards and say the case is really about politics, not fair trade.

A local analyst described the action as an attack tied to Europe's large trade gap with China. He noted that the EU's trade deficit with China reached 359.8 billion euros in 2025, and 98 billion euros in the first quarter of this year.

Chinese industry figures also reject the claim that low prices come from state subsidies. Instead, they point to the structure of the industry. Here are the numbers they cite:

Most ducks raised in China are Cherry Valley birds, which reach slaughter weight in just 35 to 40 days.
Their feed conversion is 1.6 to 1.8 kg of feed per kg of meat.
Production costs can be as low as about 2.5 yuan, or roughly 0.35 US dollars, per kg.

They add that European native duck breeds grow more slowly, use feed less well, and cost more to raise.

There is also a dispute over what is being investigated. A Chinese trade chamber said all duck sent to Europe comes from Cherry Valley ducks, not the traditional Beijing duck breed named in the case. It argues this is a mismatch between the products under review and what China actually ships.

China's Rise as a Poultry Exporter

The duck case is one small part of a much bigger shift. China is quickly turning into a major poultry exporter, and that is changing the global market.

According to analysis from BTG Pactual, citing United States Department of Agriculture estimates, China's share of world chicken exports is set to reach 9.5% in 2026. That is up from about 3% less than a decade ago. This would make China the third-largest chicken exporter, moving ahead of Thailand.

Brazil would stay in first place with about 35% of the market, followed by the United States at 20%. The USDA expects Chinese chicken output to rise 5% to 17.3 million tonnes in 2026, keeping China as the world's second-largest producer after the United States.

What It Means for Brazil

For years, China was one of the biggest buyers of Brazilian chicken. Now it is becoming a competitor in the same export markets.

The reason is the type of meat involved. Chinese consumers prefer parts like chicken feet, so China increasingly ships out the cuts it does not want at home, such as chicken breast. Chicken breast made up 22% of Brazil's total poultry export volume over the past year, so this is a sensitive area for Brazilian sellers.

The main battleground is the Gulf region. Markets like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pay attractive prices for breast meat, and both China and Brazil want to sell there. China sits closer to the Gulf, which can give its exporters lower freight costs and faster delivery.

Analysts call the growth of Chinese breast-meat exports a real structural pricing risk for Brazil. More Chinese supply on the world market could push prices down and leave less room for Brazilian product in premium cuts.

What Buyers and Sellers Should Watch

The wider message for the trade is that poultry is entering a more competitive and more political phase. A few things are worth watching in the months ahead:

The outcome of the EU investigation, and whether duties are placed on Chinese duck.
Any sign that the dispute spreads from duck into the larger chicken trade between Europe and China.
Price pressure in the Gulf states, where Chinese and Brazilian breast meat now compete directly.
Trade data over the next two quarters, which will show how fast China's export share is really growing.

For buyers, more Chinese supply could mean cheaper product in some markets. For sellers, especially those focused on premium cuts, it could mean tighter margins and a need to spread sales across more countries.