(SRN NEWS/REUTERS/97.5 Glory FM) – China has banned poultry imports from Chile due to a recent bird flu outbreak in the South American country, the Chinese customs authority said in a statement.
The prohibition, effective immediately, covers all poultry and related products originating from Chile, the government said, citing the need to protect its livestock industry and biosecurity. Any illegal Chilean poultry products found at the border will be destroyed by customs, the agency said.
China has previously suspended exports from Chile due to bird flu. The country resumed trade with the South American country in late 2024 after an 18-month suspension due to avian influenza. Before the pause, China was Chile’s third-largest poultry market, with 2022 exports reaching around 29,000 tons, constituting 15% of Chile’s poultry exports.
China recently tightened border controls after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 219 in cattle in its northwestern region.
Earlier this week, Georgia reported its first known case of the virus in more than a year. Bird flu is back
