China lifts poultry import ban on Brazil
China ends its nationwide embargo on Brazilian poultry following risk assessment.
CHINA – China’s General Administration of Customs announced that it has repealed the ban on poultry imports from Brazil, citing the results of a recent risk analysis.
The country imposed the restriction in May after a bird flu outbreak was detected at a commercial poultry farm in Brazil, affecting the entire poultry sector.
Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of chicken meat and supplies China with a substantial portion of its imports, making the embargo economically significant for both nations.
In 2024, Brazil exported approximately US$10 billion in chicken meat, representing nearly 35 percent of global trade in the product.
The outbreak triggered trade restrictions from over 20 countries, though most have since lifted their bans following the World Organization for Animal Health’s declaration that the outbreak in Rio Grande do Sul was resolved by late June.
Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro confirmed that discussions with Chinese authorities resumed after a meeting between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Premier Li Qiang at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Favaro said during the bilateral discussions he emphasized the importance of reopening China’s market, and officials in Beijing are now reviewing health protocols to allow poultry shipments to resume.
Although China has not specified a timeline for full resumption, the review signals a potential restart of imports, which had been halted for several months.
The embargo had already affected Brazilian exports in June, with fresh chicken shipments dropping 23% to 314,000 tons compared with previous months.
Earlier this week, Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry announced that seven additional countries have reopened their markets to its poultry products, leaving bans from China, Malaysia, and Peru as the remaining restrictions.
Industry sources said the removal of China’s ban could significantly ease pressure on Brazilian producers, who faced economic challenges during the export halt.
The decision follows a period of gradual recovery in Brazil’s poultry sector, as international demand and health assessments are now beginning to align.
This development could help stabilize global chicken markets, as Brazilian exports are critical to supply chains in Asia and other regions dependent on large-scale poultry imports.
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