Brazil, the world’s biggest chicken exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu last Friday. That triggered protocols for a country-wide trade ban from top buyer China and state-wide restrictions from other major chicken consumers.
Reuters said the outbreak happened in southern Brazil at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods. The Vibra website says it has 15 processing plants in Brazil and exports to more than 60 countries. Brazil accounted for 35 percent of global trade in 2024 when it exported about $10 billion worth of chicken meat. China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are among the top destinations for Brazil’s chicken shipments.
Brazil’s Ag Minister Carlos Favaro said last week that under existing protocols, countries like China, the EU, and South Korea would ban Brazil’s poultry imports for 60 days. Neighboring Argentina is suspending imports of all Brazilian poultry products.
