The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and China are negotiating a cooperation agreement to establish a poultry production system capable of producing 5 million white-feathered hen chicks annually. Discussions, held on March 11, 2025, during a Chinese delegation’s visit to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, centered on importing 50,000 parental breeding pairs from China each year to ensure quality poultry supply. The project’s broader goal is to modernize the DRC’s poultry value chain through technology transfer and training for local breeders.

Under the deal, China has proposed providing technical manuals, intelligent management solutions, and genetic selection support to enhance disease resistance in poultry. Chinese experts would conduct two annual on-site training sessions for 100 Congolese breeders. The sessions should help the DRC boost food self-sufficiency. 

The recent talks focused on drafting a memorandum of understanding between Chinese operators and DRC authorities. Led by Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade Zhang Qingwei, the Asian delegation included Shandong Guangming Biotech, a broiler breeding specialist, and Luchuan International Trade, a manufacturer of industrial products.

Shandong Guangming Biotech is a Chinese company specializing in broiler breeding. It recently partnered with Yike Food, a Chinese poultry processor, to collaborate on industry development projects, notably through the co-application and implementation of national and provincial poultry breeding programs.

Shanghai Lusheng International Trade manufactures and exports various industrial products, including valves, stainless steel pipes, and accessories that meet GB, ASTM, BS, JIS, and DIN standards.

Local Industry at Loss

While aligning with the DRC’s October 2024 pilot project to revive poultry production through eight nationwide clusters, it is unclear if the China-backed plan is part of this program. Regardless the push for domestic production faces stiff competition from imports, particularly from the European Union (EU). According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), EU chicken imports to the DRC could reach 140,000 tonnes by 2024. 

The projection is attributable to the low price of chicken from the EU. Last year, the FOB price of European chicken shipped to the DRC stood below $1,000 per tonne, against nearly $4,000 and $2,250 for the chicken from Guinea and Benin, respectively. This price disparity underscores the challenges for local producers, who struggle to compete with cheaper imports. In Kinshasa, poultry farmers need $2.3 to raise one chicken. 

This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya (intern)

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho