Mexico eases chicken import ban as Brazil faces more trade restrictions
Only chicken from Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul remains banned in Mexico
MEXICO – Mexico has narrowed its restrictions on chicken imports from Brazil, now applying the ban only to poultry originating from the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The decision reverses an earlier suspension that covered all Brazilian chicken, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture.
However, while Mexico loosens its controls, other countries are moving in the opposite direction in response to bird flu concerns.
Mauritania has introduced a full ban on all chicken shipments from Brazil, while Oman has limited its suspension specifically to products from Rio Grande do Sul.
These trade decisions come after Brazil confirmed in May a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial farm in Rio Grande do Sul.
Since then, several importing nations have reviewed their poultry policies, with many enacting partial or full restrictions out of concern over virus transmission.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s livestock industry is seeing a positive turn in its trade prospects with the United States.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is preparing to lift a temporary halt on Mexican cattle imports, a move expected to take effect before the end of 2025.
The restriction had been put in place earlier this year following the detection of the New World screwworm in Mexican territory.
The pest, known for laying eggs in open wounds of animals, poses serious risks as its larvae feed on live tissue, potentially leading to death in livestock, wild animals, and rarely, humans.
According to USDA Chief Veterinary Officer Rosemary Sifford, trade will resume once authorities are assured of Mexico’s monitoring and response systems.
Speaking at the World Organisation for Animal Health’s annual conference in Paris, Sifford indicated that cattle shipments would likely restart unless the situation worsens significantly.
Currently, the furthest north the screwworm has been identified is about 700 miles (1,127 kilometers) from the U.S.-Mexico border.
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