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The Global Importance of Poultry

Article  in  Poultry Science · July 2007

DOI: 10.1093/ps/86.6.1057 · Source: PubMed

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 EDITORIAL

The Global Importance of Poultry

C. G. Scanes, Editor-in-Chief

Poultry Science publishes papers on fundamental and chicken eggs (39%), and other eggs (27%). The statistics
applied research on poultry species. A recent editorial on poultry production do not consider the value added
addressed the increase in the number of papers being to poultry products, whether that is food processing and
published in the journal and the high impact factor for restaurants or alternative production approaches that
the journal (Scanes, 2007). It is argued that one of the attract higher prices (e.g., organic, locally produced, or
reasons for the increases in both the size and the impact the Label D’Or or Label Rouge approaches).
factor for the journal is the increasing importance of Among the largest increases in the production of
poultry production and products worldwide. chicken meat in the top-producing countries were those
Globally, production of the primary poultry products in India (217%), China (67%), and Brazil (112%; Table
(meat and eggs) has been rising rapidly (summarized in 1). One of the greatest percentage increases (136%) was
Table 1). This reflects consumption based, in turn, on achieved in Vietnam (from 0.14 million metric tons in
consumer preference for these high-quality products and 1995 to 0.32 million metric tons in 2005). The increase in
the relatively low price because of efficiency of chicken meat production in the United States was 38%
production. Over a 10-yr period between 1995 and 2005, over the 10-yr period (Table 1). This is similar to that for
consumption, and hence production, has increased the aggregate for Europe (30%, from 8.75 million metric
globally (percentage increase) for chicken meat (53%), tons in 1995 to 11.4 million metric tons in 2005) with, for
turkey meat (13%), duck meat (67%), goose meat (53%), instance, the Russian Federation exhibiting a 40% increase
(going from 0.69 million metric tons in 1995 to 0.96 million
metric tons in 2005).
Table 1. World and selected nation1 production of poultry meat and Globally, total egg production is 78% (by weight) of
eggs (in million metric tons) for 1995 and 20052 poultry meat production, with China being the major
producing nation (Table 1). The importance of research
Commodity
and country 1995 2005 of eggs and their production is likely to continue and
become greater in the future, with a consequent increase
Chicken meat
World 47.0 71.8
in papers published in Poultry Science in support of this
United States 11.5 15.9 sector. Egg production is growing rapidly (39% over 10
China 6.1 10.2 yr) with Asian countries in particular having high rates
Brazil 4.1 8.7
Mexico 1.3 2.4
of increase (e.g., China and India with increases of 42
India 0.6 1.9 and 67%, respectively). Despite the increased concerns
Turkey meat regarding welfare, the aggregate production of chicken
World 4.6 5.2
United States 2.3 2.5
Duck meat
World 2.1 3.5 Table 2. Comparison of global and selected1 country production of
China 1.3 2.4 poultry meat beef and pork (in million metric tons) for 1995 and 20052
Goose meat3
World 1.5 2.3 Commodity
China 1.3 2.2 and country 1995 2005
Chicken eggs Poultry meat
World 42.8 59.7 World 54.2 82.8
China 17.1 24.3 United States 13.8 18.4
United States 4.4 5.3 China 8.7 14.8
India 1.5 2.5 Beef
Russian Federation 1.4 2.1 World 54.2 60.1
Brazil 1.4 1.6 United States 11.6 11.3
Other eggs4 Brazil 5.7 7.8
World 4.0 5.1 China 3.6 6.8
China 3.4 4.3 Pork
1
The countries included have the highest production for 2005. The World 80.1 102.8
top 5 producing countries are included unless there is a single major China 33.4 51.2
producing country for a primary poultry product (meat or eggs). United States 8.1 9.4
2
Data from Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), 2007a,b. 1
The countries included have the highest production for 2005. The top
3
Although FAO data includes guinea fowl, goose meat accounts for 3 producing countries are included unless there are 2 major producing
the majority of the meat produced. countries for a commodity.
4 2
Predominantly duck eggs. Data from Food and Agricultural Organization (2007a,b).

1057
1058 SCANES
eggs in Europe has increased by 6% from 9.4 million
metric tons in 1995 to 10.0 million metric tons in 2005.
There have been large increases in the production of
both duck and goose meat, predominantly in China
(Table 1). It is not surprising, therefore, that there has
been a marked increase in the numbers of publications
in Poultry Science pertaining to research in these species.
There has been a major growth in production of beef
and pork (Table 2) with global production of pork up
28% and that of beef up 11%. These increases are less
than that observed for poultry meat such that today,
poultry meat represents almost one-third of meat
produced and consumed globally. China is exhibiting a
major increase in the production of both pork (53%) and
beef (89%; Table 2). In the United States, chicken meat
production and consumption exceed that of either beef
or pork. Comparison between the production statistics
View publication stats
for poultry meat with those for beef and pork illustrates
the more rapid growth of the poultry sector worldwide
(53% for poultry meat).
A future editorial will address the critical need to
support education, research, and outreach to meet the
growing needs of the poultry industry and poultry
producers.
REFERENCES
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). 2007a. Core produc-
tion data. http://faostat.fao.org/site/340/default.aspx Ac-
cessed Jan. 25, 2007.
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). 2007b. ProdSTAT:
Livestock (primary and processed). http://faostat.fao.org/
site/569/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=569ChickenMeat
Accessed Jan. 25, 2007.
Scanes, C. G. 2007. Editorial: Poultry Science: Celebrating its
impact factor, impact, and quality. Poult. Sci. 86:1.