Brazil urges China to limit chicken import ban to city with bird flu outbreak

China, a major consumer of Brazilian poultry, immediately suspended imports after the country reported a bird flu outbreak last week

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Chicken vendors work in a market in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:00am, 21 May 2025Updated: 1:18am, 21 May 2025

Brazil’s government has asked China to restrict its embargo on chicken imports to products just from the city of Montenegro, where the South American country last week registered an outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm, newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported on Tuesday.

On Friday, Brazil reported its first ever outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu, on a commercial breeding farm in Montenegro, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, prompting a scramble to trace the virus in the country, as well as a slew of international trade bans.

China, a major consumer of Brazilian poultry, immediately suspended imports following the news. The Asian country bought more than 10 per cent of Brazil’s 5.3 million metric tons of chicken exports in 2024, according to national pork and poultry group ABPA.

Other countries that banned imports of Brazilian chicken following the detection of bird flu include the European Union and South Korea.

Deals with other buyers like Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia provide for local trade restrictions.

Health and safety agents setting up disinfection barriers to contain the first confirmed case of bird flu in commercial poultry, in the municipality of Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, on May 17. Photo: AP

Chinese customs authorities said imports of poultry products imported from Brazil, shipped on or after May 17, have been suspended.