Poultry production, sales rose in 2022 in Canada

Poultry production and total sales increased in 2022 due to increased demand and product prices. However, increases in feed grain prices and the avian influenza outbreak increased production costs. In 2022, total sales of poultry increased by 14.0 per cent from 2021 to $4.2 billion. Poultry farmers produced 1.5 billion kilograms of chicken, turkey and stewing hens. Egg production increased by 2.2 per cent from 847.9 million dozen eggs in 2021 to 866.5 million dozen in 2022.

Chicken continues to lead total poultry production
In 2022, the production of chicken (which includes stewing hens) increased by 2.8 per cent from 2021, as poultry farmers produced 1.37 billion kilograms of chicken. Chicken production accounted for 90.1 per cent of total poultry production in Canada. However, in 2022, imports of live birds decreased 21.0 per cent from 2021 to 8.6 million kilograms due to restrictions on imports of live birds, bird products and by-products in response to the avian influenza outbreak.

Turkey production declined 0.1 per cent from 2021 to 150.2 million kilograms in 2022, the sixth consecutive annual decline.

Ontario leads production and sales of poultry
Ontario accounted for over one-third, or 478.4 million kilograms, of the chicken (including stewing hens) produced in Canada in 2022, while Quebec accounted for over one-quarter, or 358.5 million kilograms. Poultry meat production increased in both Ontario (+4.6 per cent) and Quebec (+2.6 per cent) from 2021. Ontario and Quebec also remained the top turkey-producing provinces. Ontario (71.4 million kilograms) produced 47.5 per cent of Canada’s turkey, while Quebec (29.6 million kilograms) produced 19.7 per cent.

From 2021 to 2022, Ontario’s poultry meat sales increased 16.3 per cent to $1.5 billion, while Quebec’s sales increased 12.9 per cent to $1.1 billion.

Turkey production

Shares of poultry production by province, 2022

Production of eggs

Canadian egg sales continue to grow
In 2022, egg sales increased by 14.9 per cent from 2021 to $2.1 billion due to the increase in egg prices. The higher farm price of eggs resulted in higher average value of eggs, which in turn increased sales. The average value of a dozen table eggs increased by 12.5 per cent from 2021 to $2.38 in 2022.

In 2022, the monthly average egg farm-gate price ranged from 186.2 cents to 216.4 cents per dozen. In 2021, the average price ranged from 167.7 cents to 186.4 cents per dozen.

The average farmgate price of eggs increased in every province from 2021 to 2022. Producers in British Columbia received the highest price for their eggs, at $2.71 per dozen on average, up 12.6 per cent from 2021, while producers in Prince Edward Island received the lowest price, at $2.08 per dozen on average, up 11.7 per cent.