Brazil pushes to expand chicken exports to India
High tariffs have kept Brazilian chicken largely out of the Indian market, with only minimal exports recorded in 2025.
BRAZIL – A Brazilian trade mission visiting India is aiming to increase sales of Brazilian chicken while negotiating access for Indian fruit and nuts in Brazil, according to the country’s Agriculture Ministry and poultry industry group ABPA.
Brazil dominates global poultry exports but shipped just 2.47 tons of chicken to India in 2025, compared with 479,900 tons sent to the United Arab Emirates, its top market, according to official trade statistics.
The discussions followed meetings between Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro and his Indian counterpart as part of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s visit to New Delhi.
Favaro said Brazil is prepared to import pomegranates and macadamia nuts from India while seeking openings for guandu beans, expanding Brazilian chicken sales, and increasing exports of yerba mate.
ABPA highlighted that India imposes tariffs of 100% on chicken cuts and 30% on whole chickens, effectively blocking significant trade, and identified tariff reduction as a priority in negotiations.
To facilitate trade, ABPA proposed establishing a specific quota that would allow Brazilian chicken to enter India under reduced or zero tariffs, though Indian authorities have not confirmed any decision.
The group also noted that while India’s market is open to Brazilian pork from a sanitary perspective, the current 26% tariff still limits export potential.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$15 billion in 2025, up 25.5% from the previous year, and both sides aim to raise the total to US$20 billion by 2030, the Agriculture Ministry said.
The Brazilian delegation emphasized that the talks have created space for measurable progress in agricultural trade, although concrete agreements remain pending.
India’s high import duties have historically made the market inaccessible for Brazilian poultry despite strong demand, keeping trade volumes minimal compared with other regions.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
