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The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, is pleased to announce that South Africa will on 19 June 2025 partially lift the import suspension on all poultry and poultry products from Brazil. This decision was taken after the Department of Agriculture had received the second report from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock which details how Brazil has contained the outbreak to only one state.

This partial lift of the import suspension may be withdrawn should the outbreak be found to have extended to other states within Brazil. By partially lifting this suspension, South Africa joins many other countries that have also partially lifted their import suspensions as Brazil does not only export poultry and poultry products to South Africa.

The veterinary services of the department engaged with their Brazilian counterparts to determine the extent of the outbreak, steps taken to contain the outbreak, and whether there are no other outbreaks on other farms or in any other state. Information received from the Brazilian authorities demonstrated that poultry products produced outside of the 10-km radius from the outbreak are not affected and pose no health risk.

“We are glad that, a month after the outbreak was reported in Brazil, we have been able to assess and confirm that risks associated with the importation of poultry and poultry products from Brazil are insignificant. We are closely monitoring the situation,” added Minister Steenhuisen.

Issued by Department of Agriculture