Brazil has been temporarily blocked from exporting poultry and meat products to the European Union after confirming a case of bird flu on a commercial poultry farm. The decision was announced by the European Commission and follows established EU rules requiring all poultry-exporting countries to be free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
The outbreak, discovered in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, has disrupted Brazil’s poultry trade, particularly with major buyers such as China, Japan, and South Korea. While China enforces a nationwide ban in such cases, other countries apply restrictions more selectively based on the affected region.
Due to the outbreak, Brazil has lost its official disease-free status, which disqualifies it from fulfilling EU health certification requirements. As a result, no poultry or poultry meat products can currently be shipped from Brazil to any EU member state.
Although the EU accounts for only a small share of Brazil’s poultry export market—just under 5% last year—the impact is still notable. Brazil remains the largest poultry supplier to the EU by origin, providing around a third of total EU imports in 2024. However, most poultry consumed within the EU is produced domestically.
Despite the relatively low volumes, Brazilian poultry has been a competitive force in the EU market due to its lower cost and high value-added products. The temporary halt in imports is expected to ease price pressures on European producers and provide some breathing room for the local poultry sector.
