Mission will try to revert Japan’s suspension of poultry purchases from SC

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock will take advantage of a commercial and business mission scheduled for next week to try to reverse the Japanese government’s decision to suspend the purchase of live poultry and poultry meat produced in Santa Catarina, after an outbreak of avian flu in the state. A delegation of Minister Carlos Fávaro with meat exporters will participate in meetings and seminars in South Korea and Japan next week.

According to Fávaro, the Brazilian government is willing to reopen the Japanese market to Brazilian chicken as soon as possible. On Monday (17), the Ministry of Agriculture sent clarifications to the Japanese health authorities. The folder points out that Brazil remains free of avian flu for commercial birds.

On Saturday (15), an outbreak of avian flu was confirmed in domestic birds on a small property in the municipality of Maracajá (SC). The birds were raised loose and not destined for commercialization. One of the probable hypotheses of contamination would be the existence of a dam on the ground, through which wild birds pass that came into contact with domestic animals.

The Ministry of Agriculture stressed that it complied with health protocols, with the banning of the property by the Official Veterinary Service and the sacrifice of the birds, with the destruction and burial of the carcasses. “According to the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOA), the occurrence of infection by the highly pathogenic influenza A virus (IAAA) in wild and domestic poultry does not compromise Brazil’s status as a country free of IAAP,” the folder said in a note.

strict protocol

President of the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), Ricardo Santini, complains that Japan is applying a stricter protocol than other countries in relation to avian flu. “We do not agree with the decision to close the market for an entire state because of backyard birds. This is a serious understanding from Japan, because Brazil remains free of influenza in commercial poultry”.

The entity, emphasizes Santini, recommends that poultry producers avoid the entry of strangers into the facilities. The association also advises closing feed and water containers to prevent wild birds from eating the same food and drinking the same water as domestic and commercial birds. With regard to wild birds, around 60 cases of avian flu have been confirmed in Brazil this year, according to the president of the ABPA.

For Santini, the Japanese government’s decision is worrying because Santa Catarina is the second largest chicken exporter in the country, after Paraná. “Japan suspended the purchase of Espírito Santo because of cases in backyard birds, but the decision did not affect the Brazilian market because the state does not sell there. With Santa Catarina, the suspension could affect the image of Brazilian meat abroad, ”he warns.

Increase

In the first four months of the year, Santa Catarina recorded a significant increase in chicken meat exports. From January to April, the state exported 366.3 thousand tons, with a value of US$ 786.2 million, an increase of 8.9% and 19.1% respectively compared to the same months of 2022.

In the period, the state accounted for 23.4% of total revenues from chicken meat exports. The main market for birds from Santa Catarina is China, whose sales grew 46.4% in volume and 61.6% in values ​​compared to the first four months of 2022. Then comes Saudi Arabia.

The delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture has an agenda on Monday (24) and Tuesday (25) in Seoul. On Thursday (27th) and Friday (28th), the trade and business mission will hold events in Tokyo.