Russia forecasts poultry meat output at 5.6 million tonnes in 2026
Russia’s poultry industry association forecasts 2026 poultry meat production at 5.6 million tonnes in slaughter weight, up 1.2% from 2025. Exports are expected to rise 6.4%, with China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt remaining the principal markets.
Industry forecasts modest production growth
Russia’s poultry meat production is forecast to reach 5.6 million tonnes in slaughter weight in 2026, according to Rosptitsesoyuz, the country’s poultry industry association. The projection represents an increase of 1.2%, or between 70,000 and 80,000 tonnes, compared with the 2025 result.
The forecast, reported by Furazh.ru and Zol.ru, points to continued but measured expansion in a sector already operating at substantial scale. Rather than relying on a larger national bird population, producers are expected to support output through higher productivity. The reports say declining poultry numbers are being offset by stronger average daily weight gains and shorter broiler growing periods.
These operational improvements allow processors to raise meat volumes without a matching increase in livestock numbers. They also make production efficiency increasingly important to the annual outlook: the targeted gain is relatively small compared with total output, leaving limited room for disruptions to flock performance or processing activity.
Early-year output trails the 2025 level
The full-year growth forecast follows a weaker start to 2026. Russian production of poultry meat and edible by-products totaled 1.7 million tonnes in January-April, down 1.8% from the corresponding period of 2025, according to both publications.
The industry must therefore reverse that year-on-year decline during the remaining months to achieve the projected annual increase. The sources do not provide a monthly production path or explain the reasons for the January-April contraction. They nevertheless describe the sector’s broader direction as positive, supported by productivity gains and a growing focus on foreign markets.
The contrast between the early decline and the full-year target will make subsequent production data particularly significant for processors and buyers. Faster weight gains and shorter production cycles could help recover lost volume, but the published forecast does not quantify how much each factor is expected to contribute.
Exports expected to rise 6.4%
Russian poultry meat exports are forecast to increase by 6.4% in 2026, equivalent to an additional 27,300 tonnes. Furazh.ru and Zol.ru identify China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as the sector’s principal sales markets.
The expected export expansion is larger in percentage terms than the projected 1.2% increase in production. This indicates that overseas demand is expected to absorb a meaningful share of Russia’s incremental poultry supply. The reports say the additional shipments would support poultry-sector capacity utilization of 82-85%.
For Russian producers and processors, that utilization range links the export outlook directly to plant economics. If the forecast is achieved, stronger foreign sales would help keep existing production and processing assets occupied even as domestic output grows only modestly. For buyers in China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the projected increase would add Russian volume to available regional supply, although the sources do not provide a breakdown by destination or poultry product.
Veterinary compliance remains central
Further expansion in Asian markets will require Russian suppliers to comply with strict veterinary standards, the reports said. Market access therefore depends not only on production capacity but also on producers’ and processors’ ability to meet the importing countries’ animal-health and food-safety requirements.
The sector’s 2026 performance will hinge on two related tests: whether productivity improvements can overcome the first four months’ production decline, and whether exporters can place another 27,300 tonnes abroad. Failure on either side would make the 5.6-million-tonne production target or the projected capacity utilization more difficult to achieve. Conversely, stronger output combined with continued access to China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt would reinforce exports as an outlet for incremental Russian poultry production.
