China to lift ban on chicken imports from Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul

China will lift its suspension on chicken imports from Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul after a year and six months, ending an embargo imposed in July 2024 following the detection of Newcastle disease at a commercial poultry farm in the municipality of Anta Gorda.

“Based on the results of the risk assessment, restrictions related to Newcastle disease in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, are suspended as of the date of this notice,” China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) said in a document published on Jan. 16. The agency is expected to begin reactivating export approvals for previously suspended meatpacking plants, said Leandro Diamantino Feijó, Brazil’s agricultural attaché in Beijing.

“With this announcement, there are no longer any restrictions on chicken shipments to China, whether from Brazil as a whole or from Rio Grande do Sul,” said Luis Rua, secretary for Trade and International Relations at Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry. An official statement from the ministry on the resumption of exports from the state is expected later on Tuesday, Jan 20.

Despite the announcement, as of midday, eight meatpacking plants in Rio Grande do Sul remained listed as restricted in the GACC system. The affected facilities include two units operated by BRF and two by JBS, as well as plants run by Minuano, Agrosul, Aurora and Languiru.

See below an overview of Brazilian poultry exports to China, recorded month by month on DataLiner, Datamar’s foreign trade intelligence platform.

Poultry exports to China | Jan 2022 – Nov 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

In November 2025, China lifted a broader ban on Brazilian poultry imports imposed after an avian influenza case was recorded in May of that year at a commercial farm in Montenegro, also in Rio Grande do Sul. At the time, however, plants located in the state were not included in the market reopening.

In a statement, the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) said the reopening process involved ongoing dialogue with Chinese authorities, the submission of detailed information, proof of disease control and eradication measures, and alignment with international animal health protocols.

“With the reopening, another important step is completed toward the full normalization of trade flows, reinforcing Brazil’s position as a reliable and predictable supplier of animal protein to the global market,” the association said.

Brazil’s chicken exports to China totaled 247,970 tonnes last year, down 55.8% from 2024, according to Agriculture Ministry data. Despite the decline, the ABPA said China remains one of the main destinations for Brazilian chicken and plays a strategic role in balancing global trade in the sector.

Source: Globo Rural

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