Chicken Market Data, Grades and Trade Specifications

Editorial evidence reviewedReviewed 2026-09-09Release 2026-09-19-batch-230

Market value

$47B

Producing countries tracked

11

Grading systems

2

Active supply risks

5

Trade corridors

6

Latest reviewed evidence

The figures below are USDA Foreign Agricultural Service April 2026 forecasts in ready-to-cook-equivalent thousand metric tons. They are dated production and trade forecasts—not current lot availability, a cash or futures value, or a live delivered chicken price.

World chicken meat production

107.536

million metric tons ready-to-cook equivalent · calendar year 2026 forecast

United States chicken meat production

19.237

million metric tons ready-to-cook equivalent · calendar year 2026 forecast

Brazil chicken meat exports

5.15

million metric tons ready-to-cook equivalent · calendar year 2026 forecast

China chicken meat exports

1.4

million metric tons ready-to-cook equivalent · calendar year 2026 forecast

USDA consumer poultry grades

3

grades A, B and C · current USDA grading standard

Bird class, whole carcass, parts and processed chicken are separate products

Broilers or fryers, roasters, capons, hens and other chicken classes have different age, sex and physical definitions. Whole ready-to-cook carcasses are not interchangeable with halves, quarters, breasts, wings, legs, boneless meat, offal, ground or mechanically separated material, cooked items or preserved products. Atlas retains class, part, bone and skin state, cut, fresh or frozen condition, processing level and intended use before comparing production, price or trade evidence.

Grade, defects, inspection and origin eligibility travel with the lot

USDA consumer grades A, B and C evaluate ready-to-cook poultry using conformation, fleshing, fat covering, defeathering, exposed flesh, discoloration, broken or disjointed bones, missing parts and freezing defects; boneless products add bone, tendon, cartilage, blood-clot and product-specific checks. Voluntary grading is distinct from mandatory food-safety inspection. U.S. imports additionally require eligible countries and establishments, foreign inspection certification, port-of-entry reinspection and compliant labels. Those authorities and records remain attached to each observation.

Forecast totals do not determine a delivered chicken price

USDA FAS's April 2026 tables forecast world chicken meat production at 107.536 million metric tons ready-to-cook equivalent and United States production at 19.237 million. Brazil exports are forecast at 5.15 million metric tons and China exports at 1.4 million. These dated aggregates span bird classes, cuts, grades, establishments, destinations and contracts. A delivered price still requires a defined product, eligible origin and establishment, grade and inspection basis, package, quantity, currency, Incoterm, destination, delivery window and current permitted physical observations.

Questions procurement teams ask

Are whole chicken, parts and processed chicken interchangeable?

No. Whole birds, named cuts, boneless meat, offal, ground material and cooked or preserved products have different yields, specifications, inspection, packaging, units and prices.

What are the USDA consumer poultry grades?

The current USDA grading framework uses Grades A, B and C for ready-to-cook poultry lots. Grade criteria do not replace the bird class, exact cut, inspection status or contract specification.

What does the 107.536 million metric-ton figure represent?

It is USDA FAS's April 2026 forecast for world chicken meat production in calendar year 2026 on a ready-to-cook-equivalent basis. It is not a current physical offer or delivered price.

Which fields make physical chicken offers comparable?

Bird class, whole or exact part, bone and skin state, cut and trim, fresh or frozen condition, processing level, grade and defect tolerances, establishment and inspection marks, health and destination eligibility, production and freeze dates, package and net weight, quantity, currency, Incoterm, destination, delivery window and evidence date.