September’s global meat-price decline was driven by poultry and pork, not every species

The FAO Meat Price Index averaged 127.9 points in September 2026. That was 1.5 points, or 1.1%, below the revised August reading and in line with September 2025. It is not a purchasing quotation for a particular species, cut or country, but a weighted indicator based on international export-price movements across meat groups.

FAO attributes the decline to lower poultry and pig-meat quotations. In poultry, ample export supply from Brazil and weaker European Union import demand were influential. The organisation also points to EU antimicrobial-related import requirements that took effect on 3 September, as well as front-loading of imports before implementation; the impact was particularly apparent in higher-value products.

In pork, abundant supply in major exporting countries weighed on prices. For the European Union, FAO notes that animal growth rates returned to normal after summer heatwaves, increasing product availability. By contrast, bovine and ovine meat quotations remained broadly stable.