China and the European Union have halted chicken meat imports from Brazil, the world’s largest exporter, following a confirmed bird flu outbreak at a farm in the South American nation, officials declared Friday.

“To respect the agreements made with China and the European Union, exports are restricted” from Brazil as a whole — in China’s case for 60 days, Brazil’s agriculture ministry said in a statement, according to AFP.

The ministry has confirmed an outbreak of a new strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at a farm in Montenegro, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The suspension will remain in place for 60 days, Carlos Fávaro, Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, stated in a press release.

China remains the largest importer of Brazilian chicken, receiving 562,000 tons in 2024—more than 10% of total exports, according to Brazil’s ABPA meat association. Meanwhile, the European Union imported more than 231,000 tons of Brazilian chicken last year, representing 4.5% of the country’s total poultry exports.

The ministry has implemented a contingency plan to eradicate the disease while preserving the sector’s productivity and maintaining food security and supply for the population. Additionally, it has informed the World Organization for Animal Health, the Ministries of Health and the Environment, and Brazil’s trade partners about the situation.

Brazil ranks among the top global producers and exporters of poultry, contributing 14% to the world’s total chicken meat production, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Brazil’s poultry exports have encountered challenges related to sanitary issues in the past. In 2018, the European Union imposed a temporary ban on chicken imports from 20 Brazilian processing plants due to salmonella concerns. In response, Brazil escalated the matter to the World Trade Organization to contest the restrictions.

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