Eight slaughterhouses in Rio Grande do Sul were authorized to resume chicken exports to China following the country’s General Customs Administration (GACC). The measure had been adopted in 2024, after the detection of Newcastle, a viral disease that affects birds and interferes with international trade, in the Anta Gorda region.
Among the industries that were authorized to export poultry products to China are: BRF SA, from Marau (SIF 2014), JBS Aves Ltda, from Montenegro (SIF 2032), JBS Aves Ltda, from Passo Fundo (SIF 922), Agrosul Agroavícola Indústrial S/A, from São Sebastião do Caí (SIF 4017), Companhia Minuano de Alimentos, from Lajeado (SIF 1661), Cooperativa Central Aurora Alimentos, from Erechim (SIF 68), BRF SA, from Serafina Corrêa (SIF 103) and Cooperativa Languiru Ltda, from Westfalia (SIF 730).
The absence of the Chinese market directly impacted chicken exports from Rio Grande do Sul. In 2024, the blockade contributed to a drop of around 1% in shipments from the region. Before the suspension, China represented almost 6% of sales of chicken from Rio Grande do Sul, a portion that was partially offset by exports to other countries.
In the same year, Brazil exported 561 thousand tons of chicken meat to China, generating US$1.288 billion in revenue. With the reopening of the market in Rio Grande do Sul, these numbers are expected to grow by around 10% in 2026.
According to the Gaúcha Poultry Association (ASGAV), it is, in particular, for Rio Grande do Sul, both due to its volume and its geopolitical and commercial importance on the international scene. Its reopening reestablishes essential flows for the economic sustainability of the poultry sector in Rio Grande do Sul.
The association also highlighted that the sector reinforces that biosecurity must remain a non-negotiable pillar of poultry farming in Rio Grande do Sul and Brazil. “The maintenance and continuous improvement of health programs, active surveillance, traceability and rapid response to health emergencies are fundamental not only to preserve markets already conquered, but also to guarantee resilience in the face of new challenges”, he informed in a note.
