STRATEGY ▶▶▶
State of soybeans: 2021 and beyond
Poultry production and soybeans
Soybean meal (SBM) remains a critical source of protein in poultry feed (mainly broilers) around the globe. In the EU it has been the cheapest source of protein for poultry available to farmers since the ban on use of animal products following the BSE crisis of two decades ago. Of all livestock types, poultry represent the largest consumer of global soybean production (at 37%), according to an analysis published by the University of Oxford’s Food Climate Research Network (using USDA data up to 2018). One-fifth is fed to pigs and 6% is used to feed various aqua- culture species. Very little (2%) is fed to dairy or beef cattle. The rest is mainly used in human food products and dog food. SBM (along with yellow corn) is the main ingredient in poultry feeds. It typically makes up about a quarter of the diet.
Brazil
Although the world’s largest soybean exporting country, Brazil also uses soybeans in its own chicken and egg production, of which ex- ports of both are increasing. Brazilian exports of eggs (whole and pro- cessed) increased by 145.1% in the first half of 2021 compared to the year before, according to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA). The United Arab Emirates continued to be the main destina- tion for exports but other countries buying significant amounts of eggs are Japan and Oman. In the same period, chicken exports reached 1.846 million tonnes, 4.6% higher than in the previous year.
10 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 10, 2021
Brazil’s main chicken buyers are the Philippines, Russia, the UK and Chile.
Trends in other countries There are about 100 countries where soybeans are grown and all of them probably use SBM in poultry diets. Some, such as Brazil, the US and Argentina, export large amounts of soybeans in whole or meal form for poultry consumption in other countries. Due to the strong demand from China for poultry and pig feed, soybean supply in Brazil, the US and Argentina is always quite tight. The use of soybeans in poultry feed in all countries to some extent fluc- tuates every year. Factors that affect volumes going into poultry feed in- clude broiler and egg production levels, domestic soybean acreage and yield, the availability and price of imported soybeans or SBM, export volumes and the availability of other sources of feed protein. For exam- ple, in India at the moment, according to the USDA, SBM is the main feed protein source throughout the poultry and egg, dairy and pork sec- tors. Due to a current spike in prices – as a result of hoarding and other factors that include a critical shortage of livestock feed protein – there are strong calls to increase soybean imports. Gale at the USDA notes that there is current pressure from the govern- ment in China to use less SBM and corn. Using wheat as a protein source in poultry and pig feeds has already reduced SBM use, and may reduce it further in future. China’s Ministry of Agriculture has suggested alterna- tives to SBM, including rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, peanut meal,
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