Headlines
Brazil chicken exporters brace for cargo rejections amid bird flu outbreak
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 20, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 20, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Brazilian chicken exports face rejections due to a bird flu outbreak, affecting global trade and logistics for major processors.
By Ana Mano and Roberto Samora
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Countries, including China, will not accept chicken consignments in transit from Brazil following confirmation of the country's first bird flu outbreak, Brazilian meat lobby ABPA, which represents large food processors, said on Tuesday.
In an interview, ABPA president Ricardo Santin told Reuters the rejection of cargoes may vary according to the date of shipment before outbreak's confirmation, ranging from 14 to 28 days at the discretion of the destination countries' official veterinary services.
The situation puts meat processors including BRF SA and JBS SA in a tight spot, as they deal with additional logistics costs and uncertainty related to the extent of ongoing trade embargos triggered by the health emergency.
Brazil accounts for 39% of the global chicken trade, Santin said, citing fresh trade data.
The easing of restrictions for cargos in transit is a possibility, Santin said, particularly if the cargo comes from a region faraway from the outbreak, which was in Rio Grande do Sul state.
"But that will require negotiations," Santin said. Mexico and Chile are among countries which would also reject cargoes under existing health protocols related to bird flu outbreaks, he added.
It is not possible to calculate losses stemming from export restrictions in force after confirmation of the first bird flu outbreak on a Brazilian commercial chicken farm, Santin said.
That is because the scope and duration of trade bans may vary according to health protocols and negotiations with importing nations, Santin said. will
Some health protocols foresee regional or even local export bans, while others call for a nationwide suspensions. Under existing protocols, Brazil stopped issuance of health certificates nationwide for cargoes destined to China, European Union and South Africa.
However, other major importers like Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are less strict and enforce regional bans under the existing protocols.
Santin said it is up to the exporting companies to deal with returned cargoes, adding they also have the possibility of redirecting some consignments.
(Reporting by Ana Mano and Roberto Samora; Editing by Alistair Bell)
The first bird flu outbreak in Brazil has led to countries like China rejecting chicken consignments in transit from the country.
The rejection of cargoes may vary from 14 to 28 days depending on the shipment date relative to the outbreak's confirmation.
Meat processors such as BRF SA and JBS SA face additional logistics costs and uncertainty due to ongoing trade embargos triggered by the bird flu outbreak.
Countries like Mexico and Chile are among those rejecting cargoes under existing health protocols related to bird flu outbreaks.
Easing restrictions may be possible if the cargo comes from a region far from the outbreak, but it will require negotiations.
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