How booming demand for poultry changed agricultural landscape over years

Global chicken production has accelerated significantly over the past three to four years, with the meat now firmly established as the world’s most popular choice of protein. The resulting effect from this change in dietary preference far exceeds the culinary world, with that rise having reshaped farming landscapes and agricultural practices needed to keep up with the demand.

The number of chickens raised for meat increased from 48.3 billion in 2006 to 76.2 billion in 2023 worldwide, according to an article on this transformation by the Financial Times, while annual production growth has accelerated from roughly 2–2.5% over the past two decades to more than 3% in recent years.

While these figures represent a substantial jump in demand, analysts cited by the newspaper believe the industry is still some way from reaching its production peak.

For much of the 20th century, chicken was not the world’s preferred meat, with beef holding that position. Farmers primarily raised chickens for eggs, but consumption patterns began changing in the early 1900s as refrigeration, railways and growing urban demand transformed food distribution.

Looking at the situation across the United States specifically, the article notes that chicken was being sold in many US supermarkets as an affordable chilled product by the 1930s, while international trade in chicken meat expanded substantially in the following decades.

The industry also transformed the birds themselves. Farmers increasingly bred chickens to produce more meat and grow faster, while antibiotics were added to feed to combat disease and accelerate weight gain. Shorter production cycles helped drive down prices, making chicken increasingly accessible to consumers worldwide.

Another advantage of chicken is its versatility: birds can be divided into different cuts and sold in markets where particular parts command higher prices. This flexibility has helped the industry adapt to different consumer preferences and markets.

The United States pioneered the industrial model of chicken production, but Brazil has since emerged as the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat. Demand is growing in both developed and developing economies, supported by several overlapping trends.

High-protein diets have boosted the popularity of chicken, while the global expansion of fast-food chains has created additional demand. The meat's relatively low cost and versatility have also made it particularly attractive: chicken can be incorporated into almost any cuisine and is compatible with a wide range of religious and dietary traditions.

According to the outlet, the result is an industry that has expanded dramatically in recent decades and continues to find new consumers, suggesting that the global appetite for chicken may have considerable room to grow.

By Nazrin Sadigova