2025: A standout year for the Dutch broiler sector
The Dutch broiler market began 2025 on a cautious note, yet prices were already higher than in the early weeks of 2024.
While broiler chick prices rose steadily throughout 2024, they surged sharply at the beginning of 2025. Outbreaks of avian influenza and Newcastle disease, which also affected breeding farms, caused a significant shortage of chicks across Western Europe.
At the same time, demand remained very high. With pork and beef becoming more expensive, consumers increasingly turned to chicken. The market also benefited from international developments. For example, the largest export destination for Dutch poultry saw strong demand as its own domestic supply declined. In addition, British retailers introduced new stocking requirements, reducing density from 38 to 30 birds per square metre, which created further export opportunities for Dutch producers.
Rising chick prices
Between the end of January and the end of March 2025, the price on the free market increased by as much as €0.17 per kg of live weight. In September, slaughterhouses noticed from their sales that momentum was beginning to wane. An increasing supply of chicks combined with seasonally declining demand placed growing pressure on the price each week.
Over a 5‑week period, prices fell by €0.11 per kg. As the Christmas period approached, the free market softened further, and the Barneveld quotation (an industry benchmark for broiler chick and hens prices in the Netherlands and Belgium) ended the year between €1.15 and €1.17 per kg. Despite the late‑year decline, this was still €0.07 higher than at the beginning of the year.
Throughout 2025, the benchmark price for free‑market chicks also remained consistently above the previous year’s level. The upper end of the Barneveld quotation averaged €1.243 per kg, more than €0.10 higher than the €1.137 recorded the year before.
Positive outlook
The year 2026 began, as usual, with moderate price quotations. Whether the strong starting position will result in another peak this year is something industry insiders dare not predict. The Mercosur trade agreement, political developments and diseases such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease could bring about unexpected turns in the market.
In addition, shifts in the market may be influenced by developments such as market protection measures in England or the expansion of poultry processor MHP from Ukraine to Slovenia. However, the initial conditions are not unfavourable. The disruptive impact of avian influenza in our region appears to be abating, and Rabobank is also positive in its forecast for the poultry industry.
