[Source: Reuters]

Brazil, the world’s largest chicken exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm on Friday, triggering a country-wide trade ban from China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers.
The outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Vibra and Tyson did not immediately respond to questions.

Vibra has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to over 60 countries, according to its website.

Brazil exported $10 billion of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35% of global trade. Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to some 150 countries.

China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are among the main destinations for Brazil’s chicken exports.

Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday that China had banned poultry imports from the country for 60 days. Under agreements with Japan, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, he said a trade ban would only restrict shipments from the affected state and, eventually, just the municipality in question.

The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the farm ministry said. The state accounts for 15% of Brazilian poultry production and exports, the national pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024.

BRF has five processing plants operating in the state. JBS has also invested in local chicken processing plants under its Seara brand.

State officials said the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu is already responsible for the death of 17,000 farm chickens, either directly from the disease or due to precautionary culling.

Veterinary officials are isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and hunting for more cases in an initial 10 km (6 miles) radius, the state agricultural secretariat said.

Favaro, the farm minister, said Brazil was working to contain the outbreak and negotiate a loosening of trade restrictions faster than the two months agreed in protocols.

“If we manage to eliminate the outbreak, we think it’s possible to re-establish a normal trade flow before the 60 days are up, including with China,” Favaro said in an interview aired on CNN Brasil.

Chicken products shipped by Thursday will not be affected by trade restrictions, he added.

The ministry said in a statement that it was officially notifying the World Organization for Animal Health.

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