Johannesburg: South Africa has suspended imports of live poultry, eggs, and fresh (including frozen) poultry meat from Brazil following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
According to South African Government News Agency, the decision was made after a report from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 – clade 2.3.4.4b) on May 15, 2025. The virus was identified in breeding chickens at an establishment in Montenegro, a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Agriculture announced that no new import permits would be issued for the affected products. However, the department noted that the import of consignments containing poultry products packed in their final packaging on or before April 30, 2025, and heat-processed poultry products, where the risk of transmitting the virus has been mitigated, will still be allowed.
‘An urgent Chief Veterinary Officer to Chief Veterinary Officer meeting was held on May 19 to get an update on the outbreak from Brazil and 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.