Government pushes to lift bans on Brazilian chicken exports

One week after confirming a case of avian flu at a commercial breeder farm in Montenegro, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, over 20 destinations have blocked chicken exports from Brazil, and at least ten countries or trade blocs have suspended purchases of poultry from the state. No new cases have been detected.

On Wednesday (21), the Philippines, Jordan, and Namibia announced full bans on Brazilian chicken. Russia temporarily suspended imports from companies in Rio Grande do Sul and imposed tighter sanitary controls for three months on shipments from other states. Previously, Russia and its Eurasian Economic Union partners—Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan—had blocked all of Brazil, but they have now limited the ban to the affected state.

Disinfection at the infected farm was completed Wednesday night by agricultural inspectors from Rio Grande do Sul’s Secretariat for Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production, and Irrigation. Starting this Thursday, Brazil will begin a 28-day countdown, the H5N1 virus incubation period. If no further cases are confirmed during that time, the country may declare itself free of avian flu and begin seeking to normalize exports.

Loosening suspensions

In parallel, negotiations are already underway to encourage importers to ease restrictions and minimize the potential impact on Brazil’s poultry sector. Luis Rua, secretary of Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture, said Brazil expects responses from trade partners to start showing results next week, leading to a loosening of suspensions and the adoption of more regionalized measures.

“Everything is proceeding as expected. We should have more concrete developments on regionalization starting next week, once countries have time to assess the information we’ve sent,” Mr. Rua told Valor. He said Brazil’s strategy is to maintain close communication with importing countries, providing updates and documentation to ensure health authorities receive clear and timely information on Brazil’s containment efforts.

Mr. Rua noted that China has not yet signaled whether it will adopt regional restrictions, though this remains within what he called the “normal process.” In 2025, when an outbreak of Newcastle disease was reported in Anta Gorda (also in Rio Grande do Sul), China took more than 20 days to ease restrictions that initially applied to the entire country.

The global poultry supply shortage may accelerate such flexibilizations. “There was already a shortage of chicken in the international market. Brazilian exports were rising on top of last year’s record volume, and at higher average prices. That points to demand outstripping supply,” Mr. Rua said.

“No country is free of avian flu. Brazil was the last major producer without the disease. That may encourage countries to reduce restrictions to ensure domestic supply,” he added.

“Some victories”

The Ministry of Agriculture is already celebrating some “victories.” On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates—Brazil’s second-largest chicken export market—announced that it will suspend purchases only from the Montenegro town.

Targeting the restriction to just one city, rather than the entire state or country, could allow Brazilian companies to maintain a significant level of exports even with the ongoing outbreak in Rio Grande do Sul.

In 2024, the UAE bought 455,100 tonnes of Brazilian chicken, accounting for 8.8% of total exports. China was the largest importer, with 562,200 tonnes last year.

The UAE requested an additional declaration from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture confirming that all shipments will come from a disease-free zone located at least 25 kilometers from the outbreak site. The ban on Montenegro applies to products certified from April 28 onward.

See below a history of Brazil’s chicken meat exports. The chart was prepared using DataLiner data:

Brazilian Chicken Exports | Jan 2022 – Mar 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

There have also been reports of private-sector pressure in countries like the Philippines and Mexico urging their governments not to fully suspend Brazilian chicken imports. Business leaders in those countries cite fears of shortages or inflation and highlight the sanitary controls enforced by Brazil’s inspection system. “It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it adds another force pushing for some level of flexibilization,” Mr. Rua said.

According to him, the government is also talking with importers to resolve issues involving chicken shipments already at sea en route to their destinations.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Agriculture called up 440 candidates approved in its most recent civil service exam to strengthen Brazil’s agricultural health defense team. These include 200 new federal agricultural auditors, 100 agricultural activity agents, 40 animal-product inspection agents, and 100 lab technicians.

As of the latest update from the ministry, there are nine suspected cases under investigation. Two are in commercial farms in Ipumirim (Santa Catarina) and Aguiarnópolis (Tocantins). The rest involve backyard poultry in Triunfo and Gaurama (Rio Grande do Sul), Eldorado dos Carajás (Pará), Salitre (Ceará), and Chapecó (Santa Catarina), as well as wild birds in Garopaba and Derrubadas (Rio Grande do Sul).

Source: Valor International

Sharing is caring!