Guidance

9 July 2025: Lifting of HPAI-related restrictions from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul

Updated 10 July 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/9-july-2025-lifting-of-hpai-related-restrictions-from-the-brazilian-state-of-rio-grande-do-sul

OVS note number: 2025/49 

Date: 9 July 2025 

Purpose 

To inform you that, following assessment of the disease control measures implemented by the Brazilian authorities in response to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the temporary suspension on imports of the following commodities from Rio Grande do Sul have been lifted, with an opening date of 20 June 2025: 

  • fresh poultry, ratite and wild game bird meat
  • meat products from poultry, ratites and wild game birds that have not been subject to treatment ‘D’ or higher
  • live poultry and ratites, including day-old chicks
  • hatching eggs of poultry and ratites

Background 

In 2023, Defra agreed to recognise regionalisation in Brazil at the federal state level in the event of an outbreak of HPAI. 

On 15 May 2025, Brazil confirmed an outbreak of HPAI on a commercial breeding poultry farm in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. To mitigate against the risk of HPAI, the UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance amended its approved country listings on 19 May 2025 to suspend imports of HPAI-susceptible commodities from Rio Grande do Sul (see OVS note 2025/35).

Defra has now reviewed the measures implemented by the Brazilian Competent Authority in response to the outbreak and concluded that the HPAI-related import restrictions from the state of Rio Grande do Sul can be lifted from 20 June 2025. 

The UK Office for SPS Trade Assurance amended its third country listings on 9 July 2025 to lift the suspension on imports of HPAI-susceptible commodities from the state of Rio Grande do Sul: 

  • an opening date of 20/06/2025 has been inserted in the entries covering Rio Grande do Sul (BR-4) in the poultry and poultry products list – as a result, the suspension of imports of imports of live poultry and ratites (BPP, BPR, DOC, DOR, HEP, HER, SRP, SRA, LT20), hatching eggs of poultry and ratites (HEP, HER and LT20) and fresh poultry meat (POU, RAT, WGM) produced on or after 20 June 2025 has been lifted

  • the entries for BR-1, BR-3 and BR-5 in the meat products list have been amended to re-permit imports from Rio Grande do Sul of meat products of poultry, ratite and wild game bird meat products that have not undergone specific treatment (treatment option ‘A’) if they were produced on or after 20 June 2025 – meat products of poultry, ratites and wild game birds produced before 20 June 2025 (BR-5) must still undergo at least treatment ‘D’ to be eligible for export to Great Britain

Contact point for enquiries 

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk 

Imports and EU Trade Team

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