In 2007/08, production of chicken meat totaled 802,383 tonnes, from slaughterings of approximately 461 million chickens. Chicken meat production over the last ten years is shown below: The figures below will be updated in accordance with the most recent ABARE data in March 2009.
Year
Chickens Slaughtered (million chickens)
Chicken Meat Produced (tonnes)
1996/97
340.9
487,929
1997/98
364.2
543,805
1998/99
375.0
564,271
1999/00
394.0
597,680
2000/01
398.9
619,406
2001/02
415.6
667,471
2002/03
419.2
689,827
2003/04
423.7
693,603
2004/05
437.6
750,029
2005/06
437.9
772,613
2006/07
453.9
809,000
2007/08 (f)
470.6
800,100
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS Catalogue No. 7215.0 - Livestock Products, Australia); does not include Tasmania. . f = forecast estimate (when available) – these are ACMF estimates, based on forecasts provided by ABARE ("Australian Commodities" Quarterly Reports) for poultry production and assuming chicken represents 94.5% of all poultry meat produced and an average dressed weight of 1.71 kg/chicken);.
At the time of processing, meat chickens weigh an average 2.65 kg. The average dressed weight at the end of primary processing is 1.78kg.
Per capita consumption of chicken meat was estimated to have reached 35.9 kg/person in 2007-08, compared to 36.3 kg of beef and veal, 12.3 kg of lamb and mutton, and 24.7 kg of pig meat in the same year. Other poultry, including turkey and duck, contributes another 1.9 kg per capita.
Most chicken meat is consumed locally, with around 3% exported. Exports of poultry meat was 30,200 tonnes in 2007/08, where most of that was chicken meat.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) forecasted the chicken meat industry’s gross value of production to be A$ 1.637 billion in 2007/08. The ACMF estimates industry’s retail value at A$ 3.5 billion.
ABARE also provides an industry overview that you may find useful. To access the overview, click here (Reference: poultry industry overview (ABARE, 2006))
The true value that represents chicken today is clearly illustrated by the graph below that compares the price in 2008 Dollars.
Chicken meat has continued to get cheaper compared to other meat.
Two factors have driven this change.
Increasingly automated poultry plants.
Improvements in how efficiently chickens convert feed into meat. These gains are due to improved breeds of chicken more suited to meat production, better nutrition, improved health management and better husbandry strategies
No hormones are added to chickens in Australia
The price competitiveness of chicken, increasing product diversity, improved quality, better consistency and targeted marketing, have made chicken one of Australia’s favourite meats.
For information of the geographical distribution across Australia's six States, click here.
For information on the annual per capita consumption of chicken meat in 24 countries, click here.
