“Once the audit is complete, they will issue a ruling,” Rua told the G1 website, adding that this document could already contain a decision from Beijing.

China is Brazil’s largest importer of chicken meat. It suspended trade on May 16, after the detection of a first and only case of avian flu on a commercial farm in the municipality of Montenegro, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

This episode immediately triggered containment measures, including the preventive slaughter of birds, comprehensive cleaning of the affected area, and the suspension of all poultry activities in the area.

The outbreak was brought under control that same month, and the South American giant declared itself free of the disease.

The European Union (EU), the seventh largest importer of Brazilian chicken, gradually resumed its purchases on Tuesday.

As of September 23, exports are authorized throughout Brazil, except for Rio Grande do Sul. However, the permit only applies to birds raised after September 18.

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