Mexico, Chile Halt Brazil Chicken Over Avian Flu

Mexico City, Mexico — Mexico and Chile announced on Saturday the immediate suspension of Brazilian chicken imports following the detection of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak at a farm in Montenegro, a municipality in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state.

Brazil, the world’s leading chicken meat exporter, faces a critical situation that has already disrupted shipments to China, the European Union, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Restricted Products

Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) stated that the following products are now restricted:

• Poultry meat
• Fertile eggs
• Chicks up to three days old
• Other poultry goods originating from Brazil

Meanwhile, Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) confirmed a total ban on Brazilian chicken imports, which had already exceeded 111,000 metric tons in 2024.

Economic Impact

In 2024, Mexico was the eighth-largest destination for Brazilian chicken exports, importing over 173,000 metric tons—accounting for 4.2% of Brazil’s total foreign sales. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, Brazil supplied 14% of Mexico’s chicken imports in 2023, while the U.S. covered 86%.

The suspension could lead to price adjustments in domestic markets in Mexico and Chile, as well as a reshuffling of regional and international poultry supply chains.

Outbreak Statistics

The affected farm in Brazil housed approximately 17,000 birds dedicated to breeder egg production. Most died from the virus, while the remaining birds were culled and buried on-site. Authorities also destroyed 450 metric tons of fertilized eggs as a precaution, according to reports from Minas Gerais state.

Global Avian Flu Context

Since 2020, avian flu outbreaks have surged worldwide. The A (H5N1) strain has infected mammals, wild birds, and poultry, even reaching previously unaffected regions like Antarctica.

In April, Mexico confirmed the death of a three-year-old girl infected with H5N1—the country’s first recorded human case. In the U.S., over 30 million laying hens have been culled in 2025 alone, contributing to an egg supply crisis and rising prices.

Brazil’s Response

Brazil has implemented strict sanitary barriers around the affected area. Recent images show trenches being dug to bury dead birds and contaminated waste, with specialized personnel working in biosafety gear to prevent further spread.

Luis Rua, Secretary of Trade and International Relations at Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed that Uruguay has also imposed restrictions on Brazilian poultry products.