Brazil, a global powerhouse in poultry production and exports, confirmed its first case of bird flu at a commercial chicken farm, setting off containment efforts and triggering immediate trade restrictions from major international buyers.
The outbreak was detected at a facility in Montenegro, a city in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, the country's agriculture ministry announced Friday.
The incident marks the first time Brazil has reported bird flu on a commercial poultry operation, although previous cases had been found among wild birds since May 2023.
State and federal officials have moved quickly to contain the outbreak.
Veterinary teams are isolating the affected area and conducting surveillance within a 10-kilometer radius to monitor for additional cases, the state agricultural secretariat said.
The virus has already led to the death or culling of 17,000 chickens at the affected site, either directly from the disease or as a precautionary measure.
Chicken Trade Takes a Hit
The confirmation of bird flu has had immediate repercussions for Brazil’s poultry exports, which accounted for roughly 35 percent of global chicken meat trade in 2024, valued at about $10 billion, according to trade data.China and the European Union, two of Brazil’s largest buyers, have imposed countrywide bans on poultry imports from Brazil for at least 60 days, following established trade protocols, according to the agriculture ministry.
South Korea has also enacted similar restrictions, while Argentina has suspended all imports of Brazilian poultry products until the country is declared free of bird flu.
Such restrictions follow international health certificate requirements, which vary by country. Some agreements mandate nationwide bans, while others allow for regionalized measures. “Countries like Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the Philippines have already accepted the regional approach,” the ministry noted, allowing imports from unaffected areas.
Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said the government is working to negotiate a faster easing of trade restrictions, aiming to reassure markets and consumers that the outbreak is contained.
“We can calm the market and consumers, showing that other parts of the country have no risk of outbreak ... and with that, get some flexibility from those countries with a total ban,” Favaro said in an interview.
Shipments exported before Thursday will not be affected by the new trade restrictions, Favaro said.
The state of Rio Grande do Sul is responsible for 15 percent of Brazil’s poultry production and exports, according to the national pork and poultry group ABPA. Major processors such as BRF and JBS operate multiple plants in the region, supplying chicken products to over 150 countries.
Safe to Eat, Officials Say
Brazil’s agriculture ministry has emphasized that bird flu is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs.“The risk of human infection by the avian flu virus is low and occurs mostly among handlers or professionals who have close contact with infected birds (alive or dead),” the ministry stated.
Brazilian chicken exports have previously faced scrutiny over sanitary issues. In 2018, the European Union temporarily banned imports from 20 Brazilian plants due to salmonella concerns, a dispute that was later brought before the World Trade Organization.