World's biggest poultry exporter Brazil confims bird flu outbreak
FILE PHOTO: Talita de Lima Freitas, federal agricultural inspector, works on a sample to test for avian influenza virus at the Reference Laboratory of the World Organization for Animal Health in Campinas, Brazil April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo
By Isabel Teles, Ana Mano and Roberto Samora
Brazil, the world's largest poultry exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm on Friday, triggering a ban on shipments to China and raising the prospect of restrictions from other trade partners.
Brazil exported $10 billion of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35% of global trade. Much of that came from meat processors BRF and JBS, which ship to some 150 countries.
China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, are among the main destinations for Brazil's chicken exports.
Brazil's Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro said on Friday China had banned poulty imports from the country for 60 days, but that Brazilian chicken in transit to other countries would not face problems.
Chinese customs did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside of business hours.
The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the agriculture ministry said. The state accounts for 15% of Brazilian poultry production and exports, national pork and poultry group ABPA said in July 2024.
BRF had five processing plants operating in the state as of May 2024. JBS has also invested in chicken processing plants in Rio Grande do Sul under its Seara brand.
The veterinary officials have begun isolating the area of the outbreak in Montenegro and culling the remaining birds, in line with protocol, the state agricultural secretariat said.
"A complementary investigation will be carried out within an initial radius of 10 km (6 miles) from the area where the outbreak occurred, and into possible links with other properties," the secretariat said.
The ministry also said it was acting to contain and eradicate the outbreak, officially notifying the World Organization for Animal Health, Brazil's trade partners and other interested parties.
"All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies," industry group ABPA said in a statement.
Asked for a company response, JBS deferred to ABPA.
Miguel Gularte, CEO of BRF, told a call with analysts he was confident Brazilian health protocols were robust and "this episode" would be quickly overcome.
Since 2022, bird flu has swept through the U.S. poultry industry, killing around 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, severely affecting production of meat and eggs.
Bird flu has also infected nearly 70 people in the U.S., with one death, since 2024. Most of those infections have been among farmworkers exposed to infected poultry or cows.
The further spread of the disease raises the risk that bird flu could become more transmissible to humans.
Brazil, which exported more than 5 million metric tons of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states.
The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.
"The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption," the ministry said.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
3 hours ago
- The Mainichi
New Tokyo clinic helps elementary school girls, teens tackle period pain, symptoms
TOKYO -- A clinic helping patients as young as primary school girls who have just had their first period deal with pain and other symptoms has opened in the Japanese capital to address menstrual concerns early on, especially since many children hesitate to visit gynecologists. The "Pill clinic starting from elementary school students" opened within certified nonprofit organization Florence Inc.'s children's mental health clinic in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward in June. The facility also has a pediatric department and a clinic for truant children, as well as a psychosomatic medicine department for women. Shiho Kurihara, a family doctor who treats patients from young to old, examines patients at the new clinic. She offers consultation to those who are struggling with period pain, and provides a range of treatment options including painkillers, low-dose birth control pills and traditional Chinese herbal medicine according to their needs. Pelvic exams aren't conducted, so patients are referred to a gynecologist who can provide care when a more serious condition is suspected. According to the website of the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, adolescents often suffer from period pain, including that caused by strong uterine contractions. In addition, endometriosis, a condition that can lead to infertility, is apparently becoming more common among teenage girls and women in their 20s. A key to early detection is recognizing when menstrual pain gets worse over time. A study in fiscal 2016 commissioned by the Japan Sports Agency conducted on female junior and senior high school students in Chiba Prefecture found that 71% of respondents experienced menstrual pain and 34% had premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Despite the situation, 43% answered they just "endure the pain," and 35% responded they "use medicine to push through it," while 15% said "studying or taking part in physical education was difficult." These figures show that not enough young people are being treated for their period pain. Many elementary, middle and high school students also feel uncomfortable about visiting a gynecologist. In addition, birth control pills, which can be covered by health insurance and are effective for treating PMS, are often avoided because many still see them as just contraception. According to doctors at Florence's mental health clinic, a middle schooler and her parents believed a pelvic exam is required for treatment by a gynecologist, and this misunderstanding made them reluctant to seek care. Students have shared experiences showing that the struggles of menstruation are still not well understood at school. One elementary school student told doctors, "Most of my classmates have not started their periods, or have only mild flow, so even though I feel unwell, others don't understand what I'm going through." A high school student said, "Due to period pains, I want to sit and watch during marathons in gym class, but I'm told by the teacher to 'run slowly' and he won't let me sit out." Kurihara emphasized that "the right to accurate information and access to proper medical care is not only for adults, but also for lower and middle school students who have started their periods." She added, "With the opening of this clinic I want to help change the common belief that menstruation is something you just have to put up with." The pill clinic is open on Tuesday mornings, and on Wednesday mornings and afternoons. Children in junior high school or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more details or to make an appointment, visit the official website of Florence's child and mental health clinic (in Japanese). (Japanese original by Sahomi Nishimoto, Tokyo City News Department)
The Mainichi
5 days ago
- The Mainichi
Princess Kako meets people of Japanese descent in Brazil nursing home
SAO PAULO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Princess Kako, a niece of Emperor Naruhito, visited a nursing home near Sao Paulo on Saturday to interact with locals of Japanese descent, as part of her official visit to Brazil to commemorate this year's 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Welcomed by the residents of the facility, which houses migrants from Japan and their descendants, the 30-year-old younger daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko asked how they are doing and called on them to look after themselves. Established in 1958 as the first nursing facility for the Japanese community, it is home to some 60 people aged from their 60s to 100. The daughter of Japanese immigrants, 92-year-old Chizue Yuasa handed the princess a bouquet of flowers, while Koki Kumada, a 93-year-old migrant, expressed his excitement at meeting the imperial member. "I'm happy that she came all the way to Brazil. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, I was deeply moved," said Kumada, who used to work at a coffee farm in the state of Sao Paulo. Brazil is home to the largest Japanese community outside Japan, with about 2.7 million people living there. The first group of Japanese immigrants arrived in Brazil in 1908 under a government policy at the time to encourage emigration in the wake of an economic downturn and a growing population. But many died due to the harsh living conditions and exposure to malaria. Princess Kako arrived in Sao Paulo on Thursday, kicking off her nearly two-week long trip that will take her to a total of eight cities in Brazil, including the capital Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro. "I express my deep honor to immigrants from Japan and their descendants who have carried on every day despite facing various difficulties, and contributed to Brazilian society," she said during a welcome ceremony on Friday in Sao Paulo in front of some 1,000 people from the Japanese community. After her visit to the nursing home on Saturday, the princess visited a school that many Japanese-Brazilians attend and watched students perform traditional Brazilian dances. She also interacted with young people who are learning Japanese and have visited Japan at her hotel.
Nikkei Asia
04-06-2025
- Nikkei Asia
Japan's Kao ramps up Asia makeup push as China, South Korea brands rise
TOKYO -- Japan's Kao is making a renewed marketing push for cosmetics brand Kate across Asia, quintupling promotional expenses there and underlining its Japanese identity on social media to try to fend off rapidly rising Chinese and South Korean competitors. The health and beauty company announced a new overseas strategy for low-priced brand Kate on Wednesday that focuses on becoming a leading Tokyo-based brand in Asia and spreading a worldview that expresses individuality.
