POULTRY DISTRIBUTION INCREASES BY 25% IN MARCH

Madrid concentrated in two days (10 and 11 March) a demand of more than 410 tonnes, while Catalonia and Andalusia grew by more than 10% in their first week of containment.

MADRID, 2 April 2020. The Interprofessional Association of Poultry Meat Poultry Farming (Propollo: www.propollo.es), which brings together more than 65 associated companies throughout Spain, has analysed the evolution of demand for chicken, turkey and other poultry in the distribution channel during the first weeks of March, the first month of incidence of the coronavirus in our country.

According to data from its associates, from the start of the closure of schools and educational centres in Madrid (11 March) until 27 March, sales of this type of meat have increased nationally by 25% in the distribution channels. (large and medium-sized supermarkets, hypermarkets and retailers) with respect to the previous usual volume, which was around 24,000 tonnes per week.

In total, more than 6,000 extra tonnes were put into supermarkets in the week of 9-15 March, by 3,600tm in the week of 16-22 March, and normalised again in the week of 23-29 March. This represents increases of 25% and 15% respectively in the first two weeks. On the other hand, turkey also saw increases in retail demand without affecting the normal production rate.

The general increase in demand in distribution was accompanied by a drastic reduction in the HORECA channel (Hotel, Catering and Cafeterias) to zero, so the direct-to-consumer outlets have absorbed this production, to which the sector has responded normally.

In total, Propollo brings together more than 65 companies, with more than 5,000 farms and production centres, 281 cutting and processing plants, and directly employs more than 40,000 professionals, representing 90% of the sector.

Madrid and Catalonia lead in consumption

By autonomous region, Madrid, the first to adopt school closure measures, recorded a demand of more than 410 mt on 10 and 11 March alone, an increase of 15%, which has risen to the national average of 25% in the period analysed. In the first week of general confinement, Catalonia recorded a peak in demand with 13.8% (470 MT); while in Andalusia it was 10% (520 MT). These two communities are the ones that consume the most poultry meat.

For Jordi Montfort, Propollo' s Secretary General and spokesman for the Association, "the sector is keeping all its production centres active and is currently committed to the health of its workers in order to continue with the normal supply of the market, where a stabilisation of the demand curve is expected for the month of April. The management team is in permanent contact with the Public and Health Administrations to inform the sector of the different changes in the guidelines, being one of the industries with the highest demands and standards in terms of biosafety for all personnel.”

Consumer recommendations

Propollo would like to thank the professionals and producers, as well as the entire distribution chain, for their involvement and commitment at this time. And some recommendations are made for consumers:

Respect confinement and make as few trips outside as possible.
Opt for home shopping through reference companies as far as possible.
Do not accumulate unnecessary overstock of food, but make a planned purchase according to the conditions of conservation available in your home to avoid unnecessary displacements.
Follow basic rules of hygiene and disinfection of hands and surfaces as well as food handling areas in the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination (cooked food/raw food).
Cooking food and respecting the shelf life of cooked food.