Poultry is raised for its meat and eggs and is an important source of animal protein. Poultry meat represents an increasing part of human food consumption, accounting for around 30% of all meat worldwide. Success of poultry meat during the past 10 years is mainly due to: dietetic quality – poultry is rich in protein with low fat content and is very digestible; large selection of products; and competitive prices, an important factor in the competition between different meats.

In Central and Eastern European countries, poultry meat consumption per capita should keep growing quickly, while production should follow more slowly. Quantities available for export should thus decrease. The largest importers of poultry meat in the EastAgri region include Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. Hungary and Poland remain the most important exporters within the Central and Eastern European region.

Russia, Poland, and Turkey are by far the largest producers of chicken meat in the region, with countries like Romania and Ukraine also producing substantial quantities. Production growth in the Russian Federation slowed down in 2009, in contrast with the growth witnessed in the previous two years of 16 percent on average.

Sources: FAOSTAT, FAO Food Outlook 2004 - 2009; FAO and EBRD Agribusiness Handbooks; EastAgri