Brazil hailed China’s decision to lift its ban on Brazilian poultry after a bird flu outbreak earlier this year. China and the EU had halted imports in May; Brazil declared itself free of avian influenza in June and worked diplomatically to reopen markets. The ABPA says China imported 228,200 tonnes of Brazilian chicken from January to May, worth $545.8 million. WHO cautions avian flu can be severe in humans, though sustained human-to-human spread remains limited.
China Reopens Market to Brazilian Chicken After Bird Flu Ban Lifted
Brazil hailed China’s decision to lift its ban on Brazilian poultry after a bird flu outbreak earlier this year. China and the EU had halted imports in May; Brazil declared itself free of avian influenza in June and worked diplomatically to reopen markets. The ABPA says China imported 228,200 tonnes of Brazilian chicken from January to May, worth $545.8 million. WHO cautions avian flu can be severe in humans, though sustained human-to-human spread remains limited.
18:10, 07.11.2025Economy
China Reopens Market to Brazilian Chicken After Bird Flu Ban Lifted
Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat, on Friday welcomed China’s decision to lift a ban on Brazilian poultry imports that followed a bird flu outbreak earlier this year. The move comes after the European Union recently resumed purchases from Brazil.
China and the EU suspended imports in May after the outbreak was detected. In June, Brazilian authorities declared the country free of avian influenza and began steps to restart exports. The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) said on its website that, over time, major importers have resumed purchases and that China has now reopened its ports to Brazilian products.
ABPA: The association credited a broad and intense diplomatic effort by the Brazilian government for restoring export flows to key markets.
Before the suspension, China was Brazil’s largest market for chicken: between January and May it imported 228,200 tonnes of Brazilian chicken, generating $545.8 million in revenue, the ABPA said.
Avian influenza has spread across multiple countries in recent years, prompting large-scale poultry culls, some human fatalities, and upward pressure on egg prices. The World Health Organization says human infections can cause severe illness with a high mortality rate, but the virus has not shown sustained human-to-human transmission. Most human cases detected so far have involved people who had close contact with infected birds, other animals, or contaminated environments.
Analysts say China’s reopening should help stabilise Brazil’s poultry sector and recover export revenues, but producers and health authorities remain vigilant to prevent new outbreaks and protect public health.