South Africa has banned agricultural imports of live poultry and related products from Brazil following the latest outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the South American country last week.
The Department of Agriculture issued a notice of suspension of trade on Wednesday night, banning the trade of live poultry, eggs, fresh and frozen poultry meat, with retrospective effect from 1 May.
This comes after Brazil reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 – clade 2.3.4.4b), on 15 May in chickens in a breeding establishment (parents) in the municipality of Montenegro in Rio Grande do Sul.
“South Africa has suspended trade of live poultry, eggs and fresh (including frozen) poultry meat and no new import permits will be issued,” the Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
“We will, however, continue to import consignments containing products packed in their final packaging on or before 30 April 2025, and heat-processed poultry products where the risk of transmitting the virus has been mitigated.”
The department said the decision had been taken after an urgent meeting with the two countries chief veterinary officers on 19 May to get an update on the outbreak and on the deployed disease control strategy.
“It was agreed in this meeting that Brazil will provide additional information for South Africa’s consideration,” the department said.
