Brazil, the world’s largest chicken exporter, confirmed its first bird flu outbreak on a commercial poultry farm Friday, prompting immediate trade bans from China, the EU, and South Korea, while other key buyers imposed regional restrictions. The discovery threatens $10B in annual exports and risks further disruptions to global meat supplies.
Key Developments:
- Outbreak Location: A farm in Rio Grande do Sul (15% of Brazil’s poultry exports) supplying Vibra Foods (backed by Tyson Foods).
- Trade Impact:
- China, EU, South Korea: Nationwide 60-day ban on Brazilian poultry.
- Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia: Restrictions limited to Rio Grande do Sul.
- Argentina: Suspended all Brazilian poultry imports.
- Containment Efforts:
- 17,000 chickens culled; surveillance in a 10km radius.
- Brazil seeks to shorten bans by proving other regions are virus-free.
Global Context:
- U.S. Precedent: Bird flu devastated 170M U.S. birds since 2022, spilling over to cattle and humans.
- Brazil’s Advantage: Unlike the U.S., Brazil had only wild bird cases until now, maintaining export flows.
Bird Flu Hits Brazil’s Poultry Industry, Triggering Global Trade Bans from China to EU