Saudi Arabia and Chile have formally lifted trade restrictions on Brazilian poultry, marking a key moment in the recovery of Brazil’s poultry export sector after a bird flu outbreak earlier this year. The decision, confirmed in official memos, is expected to benefit Brazil’s major poultry producers, particularly BRF.
Saudi Arabia has lifted its ban on poultry imports from the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, the region affected by the bird flu outbreak in May.
Chile will resume importing fertile eggs, one-day-old chicks, fresh chicken and processed poultry produced after August 9, 2025.
Chilean authorities have also recognized the region as free of Newcastle disease following inspections of Brazil’s disease control measures.
The reopening follows a visit by a Chilean delegation that reviewed sanitary protocols in affected areas.
Brazilian food processor BRF, one of the largest chicken exporters in the world, welcomed the reopening of these markets. Company officials said the move would help ease export pressures that arose after multiple countries imposed bans.
BRF’s Q2 2025 financial results:
Net profit: 735 million reais (about US$136 million)
EBITDA: 2.5 billion reais
Domestic operations EBITDA: 1.3 billion reais with a 16.4% margin
International operations EBITDA: 1.2 billion reais with a 17.3% margin
Sales: 15.36 billion reais, a 2.9% increase from the same period last year
Export volumes declined by around 5% compared to the national average of 15%
First-half performance: 5.3 billion reais in total EBITDA and 1.9 billion reais in net profit
Brazil reported its first-ever bird flu outbreak in a commercial farm in Rio Grande do Sul in May 2025. This led to a series of import restrictions from countries including China, the European Union, Chile, the Philippines, Argentina, and Canada. Some nations, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, applied state-specific bans, while others, including Japan and the UAE, targeted specific cities.
Brazil remains the largest exporter of chicken meat in the world, with over 5 million tonnes shipped in 2025. The United States significantly increased egg imports from Brazil this year, with July volumes up more than 300% and year-to-date exports rising over 1,400% to nearly US$41 million. However, new U.S. tariffs could slow this trend.
The lifting of restrictions by Saudi Arabia and Chile is a positive sign for Brazil’s poultry sector. It indicates growing international confidence in the country’s animal health measures and may pave the way for other major importers to follow suit.
