Philippines bans chicken imports from Brazil after Chinese reports

The temporary ban came after China found traces of Covid-19 in cargoes of imported frozen food from the South American country

Brazil accounts for about 20 per cent of the Philippines’ poultry meat imports

Reading Time:1 minute

The World Health Organisation has said it sees no evidence of coronavirus being spread by food or packaging. Photo: AP

Published: 8:54pm, 14 Aug 2020Updated: 8:53pm, 14 Aug 2020

The Philippines on Friday imposed a temporary ban on poultry meat imports from Brazil after two cities in China found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, including chicken wings from the South American country.

Shenzhen city authorities identified the chicken as originating from a plant owned by Aurora, Brazil’s third-largest poultry and pork exporter.

Brazil has the world’s second-worst Covid-19 outbreak after the United States, recording more than 3.2 million cases and more than 105,000 deaths since the pandemic began.

“With the recent reports from China and in compliance with the country’s Food Safety Act to regulate food business operators and safeguard Filipino consumers, the temporary ban on the import of chicken meat is imposed,” the Department of Agriculture said in a statement.

It did not say how long the ban would be enforced. Brazil accounts for about 20 per cent of the Philippines’ poultry meat imports.

Aurora, which is unlisted, said it had not been formally notified by the Chinese authorities of the alleged contamination.

Aurora is Brazil’s third-largest poultry and pork exporter. Photo: Reuters