Brazilian poultry exporters face potential import curbs after Bloomberg reported that a Santa Catarina turkey farm with a confirmed Newcastle disease case supplies MBRF Global Foods SA exclusively.
Bloomberg cited people familiar with the arrangement, who said the farm’s turkeys go to MBRF’s export-focused plant in Chapecó. MBRF declined to comment on the reported supplier link and referred inquiries to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association, Bloomberg reported. Its shares fell 4.1% in São Paulo on Oct. 19.
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) confirmed the infection at a commercial turkey farm in Nova Itaberaba. The ministry closed the property and stopped bird movements there. Mapa said roughly 6,000 turkeys remained on the farm and had not entered the food supply. Authorities plan to cull the flock, then clean and disinfect the site.
Associação Brasileira de Proteína Animal (ABPA) and Santa Catarina groups ACAV and Sindicarne-SC said the birds had shown no clinical signs of disease. The groups said consuming poultry products posed no risk. Mapa said poultry products that have passed official inspection remain safe to eat.
During a Newcastle disease outbreak in 2024, Brazil halted poultry shipments to China and the European Union, Bloomberg reported. Buyers could restrict purchases from all of Brazil or only affected areas, the outlet reported. The scope of any measures will depend on each market’s agreement with Brazil and decisions by its authorities.
Mapa was preparing to notify trading partners and plans to monitor about 133 properties near the farm. Importing countries’ decisions on restrictions will determine the immediate effect on Brazilian poultry exports.
