Fresh and frozen primary poultry represent 54% of total poultry market value and experienced 3% growth in the last year. Over 80% of primary poultry products are now bought chilled. Strong sales of fresh chicken breast fillets (+5%), turkey roll roasts (+18%), chicken roll roasts (+ 89%) and duck breasts (+44%) and legs (+19%) in the last 52 weeks and in particular in the last six months, have driven this growth. In general, fewer consumers are buying frozen poultry products than a year ago. The frozen poultry sector, as is the case with the other frozen primary meats, appears to have come under pressure from other frozen meal alternatives such as ready meals and pizzas, as well as chilled prepared meal alternatives. Having said that, increased promotional activity on the higher valued chicken legs, breasts and mixed pieces and turkey roll roasts has seen 3% value growth in the past 52 weeks and 19% value growth in the last three months. Fresh and frozen further process poultry accounts for 40% of total poultry with fresh processed poultry sales experiencing 13% year-on-year value growth. Further processed fresh poultry looks set overtake frozen added value poultry in the next six to nine months, quite a change for a relatively new sector. Cooked poultry accounts for the remaining 6.4% of the poultry market growing 8% in value in the last 52 weeks. Latest estimates from the Meat and Livestock Commission show poultry not far from twice the beef volume this year, at 1.72 million tonnes against 0.92 million tonnes, and far exceeding the 1.24 million tonnes of pigmeat likely to be absorbed by the market. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

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