Photo by Joey Sanchez Mendoza
AGRICULTURE

Phl blocks poultry imports from Brazil

Vivienne Angeles (VA)

The Philippines has indefinitely banned poultry imports from Brazil following confirmation of the South American country's first bird flu outbreak, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Monday.

Laurel, in a press briefing, noted that the Philippines currently has no regionalization agreement with Brazil, meaning the import ban applies to the entire country.

According to a Reuters report, the outbreak was detected in southern Brazil at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian company backed by U.S.-based Tyson Foods.

Similarly, Japan, China, and the European Union have also suspended poultry imports from Brazil.

Brazil is the world’s top poultry exporter, accounting for roughly 35 percent of global chicken meat trade. In 2024, it exported over $10 billion worth of chicken products.

In response, Brazil said it has implemented containment and eradication measures to manage the outbreak.