BRAZIL: The world’s top chicken exporter, accounting for over 35% of global poultry trade — has confirmed its first-ever outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu (H5N1) on a commercial poultry farm. The development has triggered strict trade restrictions from several major importing countries, posing significant risks to global chicken supply chains and food prices.
The outbreak was reported in Montenegro, located in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, which contributes around 15% of Brazil’s poultry production and exports. The affected farm is a supplier to Vibra Foods, a major Brazilian processor backed by Tyson Foods. Sources say over 17,000 chickens have died either directly from the disease or through preventive culling, according to state officials.
Global trade fallout begins
In line with international trade protocols, countries such as China, the European Union, and South Korea have enacted 60-day nationwide bans on Brazilian poultry imports. China is Brazil’s largest buyer of chicken products.
Other nations — including Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — are applying localized restrictions focused on the impacted region, thanks to updated bilateral agreements.
Argentina, a regional competitor in poultry trade, has gone further by suspending all imports of Brazilian poultry until the outbreak is declared officially contained.
Brazilian officials seek to calm markets
Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro has emphasized that Brazil is working swiftly to isolate and contain the outbreak. Veterinary teams are conducting inspections within a 10-kilometer radius of the affected farm. The government is also in talks with trading partners to potentially shorten the ban period, highlighting that poultry in other parts of the country remains unaffected.
“Other regions are safe. We’re actively negotiating to prevent a prolonged disruption in exports,” Fávaro said.
The ministry clarified that chicken products shipped before May 16, 2025, will not be affected by the ban.
Industry impact & response
Brazil exported over $10 billion worth of chicken meat in 2024, with key players like BRF and JBS (Seara brand) operating large-scale processing plants in the affected state. The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) issued a statement confirming that containment measures were implemented promptly, and the situation is under control.
BRF CEO Miguel Gularte also expressed confidence in Brazil’s strict health protocols, assuring stakeholders that export operations will resume swiftly.
Global public health & food safety
The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture reassured consumers that bird flu is not transmitted through properly cooked poultry or eggs, and inspected products remain safe for consumption.
Meanwhile, bird flu has continued to wreak havoc on poultry populations elsewhere. In the United States, H5N1 has led to the loss of over 170 million birds since 2022, with nearly 70 human infections and one death reported since 2024 — mostly among farmworkers. The current Brazilian outbreak raises fresh concerns about food security, supply chain stability, and the potential for cross-species transmission if outbreaks continue to escalate globally.
