New Zealand: Chook to overtake lamb in a decade

Poultry production could exceed lamb production by 2035 and although the industry does not show massive growth it is a solid industry to invest in, says Tim Morris, director at farm industry research group Coriolis. Speaking on a webinar hosted by land asset investment company MyFarm, Morris said there are a number of reasons to be positive about the poultry industry. Globally, chicken has gone down in relative price, with all other meat prices going up. Consumers globally are shifting to chicken, he said. Genetic gains in chickens are better than in many other industries. “You’re pulling out of a global breeding pool of billions,” he said. Though there aren’t massive genetic gains, chicken weight at slaughter increased by about a third of a percent every year, he said. Chicken meat and carcases are flexible, with a lot of value adding to products, Morris said. “Nowadays large parts of the market are processed products, which gives you more insulation from commodity cycles.” ...