Why chicken prices may soon surge in South Africa
South Africa has imposed a temporary ban on importing live poultry, eggs, and both fresh and frozen poultry meat from Brazil.
Citing an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Brazil, South Africa has halted imports of live poultry, eggs, and fresh or frozen poultry meat from the country as a precautionary measure.
South Africa announced the suspension after Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock reported an HPAI (H5N1 – clade 2.3.4.4b) outbreak among breeding chickens in Montenegro, a municipality in Rio Grande do Sul.
No new import permits issued
A statement released by South Africa’s Department of Agriculture stated that no new import permits would be issued for poultry products originating from Brazil until further notice.
However, the department clarified that certain poultry consignments will be exempt from the ban.
These include:
- Poultry products packed in their final packaging on or before 30 April 2025
- Heat-processed poultry products that have undergone treatments sufficient to neutralise the virus
“An urgent Chief Veterinary Officer to Chief Veterinary Officer meeting was held on 19 May with the purpose of getting an update on the outbreak from Brazil and the deployed disease control strategy,” the department stated.
“It was agreed in this meeting that Brazil will provide additional information for South Africa’s consideration.”
The suspension is a precautionary measure as South Africa aims to protect its domestic poultry industry and public health.
The government continues to monitor the situation closely and will assess any new data provided by Brazilian authorities before reviewing the restrictions.