Brazil declares itself free of bird flu after outbreak that affected exports

The Ministry of Agriculture announced on Wednesday (18) that Brazil is free of bird flu, almost a month after the discovery of an outbreak of the disease forced the country to suspend its chicken meat exports to China and other trading partners.

Brazil, the world's largest exporter of this product, has suspended sales to China – its main customer – since May 16, as well as to the European Union, Mexico and Argentina, among others, after identifying an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on a farm in Rio Grande do Sul.

The government reported on Wednesday that it had notified the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO) that the 28-day health protocol had been followed without new cases being detected on commercial farms, in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

“The country declares itself free of highly pathogenic avian influenza,” the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Agriculture Minister Carlos Fávaro highlighted the “robustness” of the Brazilian health system and announced a “gradual resumption” of poultry meat exports, according to the text.

Around twenty countries have completely suspended their purchases of Brazilian chicken, including Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Canada, Argentina and China, which acquired more than 562 thousand tons in 2024.

In other countries, these restrictions were limited to products from Rio Grande do Sul.

Brazil, which exports around 30% of its chicken production, detected the first outbreak of bird flu on a farm in the Rio Grande do Sul municipality of Montenegro.

A case of the disease later confirmed at the Brasília zoo, related to a pigeon and a duck found dead, did not cause new restrictions on the poultry industry because they involved wild birds.

Bird flu has spread around the world in recent years and has led to the mass slaughter of poultry, some human deaths and an increase in the price of eggs.

The risk of this virus to the general population is considered low, as it does not present “sustained transmission” between humans, according to the WHO.

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