By Ana Mano and Peter Frontini
(Reuters) – Japan has suspended imports of chicken from Brazil’s Santa Catarina state after the confirmation of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) case in a backyard chicken, local newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo reported on Monday, creating a new headache for Brazilian meat processors.
Last month, Japan halted purchases of poultry from the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo after bird flu was confirmed at non-commercial farm there.
The Brazilian government did not have an immediate comment.
ABPA, which represents pork and poultry processors, including JBS SA and BRF SA, said there was no official confirmation of the Japanese ban on Santa Catarina’s exports related to avian flu.
When Japan banned products from Espirito Santo, the lobby group said that stance was not “in line with the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOA).”
Bans, regional or national, would be applicable but only if the highly pathogenic virus reaches a commercial farm, and that has not happened in Brazil yet, according to authorities.
(Reporting by Peter Frontini and Ana Mano; Editing by Sandra Maler and Aurora Ellis)
