Ag Ministry announces end of International Certification requirement for fish exports to US

Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), through its Agricultural Defense and Trade and International Relations Departments, along with industry lobby PeixeBR, has announced that the United States will no longer require International Health Certification  (IHC) for Brazilian fish imports, streamlining the export process.

Agriculture and Livestock Minister Carlos Fávaro emphasized that this decision reflects growing international trust in Brazil’s health control system and will boost trade between the two countries. “This simplification doesn’t equate to less oversight. On the contrary, Brazilian exporters will now adhere directly to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, which reduces bureaucracy and enhances the sector’s competitiveness. It’s another example of President Lula’s government creating more jobs and opportunities,” said Fávaro.

Brazil is the second-largest fish exporter to the U.S., with tilapia fillets at the top of the ranking. “Eliminating the need for IHC to the United States speeds up the process and eases the burden on our operations. Some facilities issue up to eight certificates per day for a single company, and that number doubles if more are involved. Reaching this landmark was the result of a concerted effort by our departments, following Minister Fávaro’s directive to simplify procedures,” explained Deputy Secretary Allan Alvarenga.

According to PeixeBR’s Fish Farming Foreign Trade Report, Brazilian fish farming exports surged by 72% in the second quarter of 2024. The total export value for the first half of the year reached US$23.7 million, representing 96% of the total fish exports for all of 2023. Tilapia accounted for 92% of the total exported, with 87% of Brazil’s fish exports bound for the United States.

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