S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 Brazil\u2019s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock officially declared on Wednesday (18), in a notification sent to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), that Brazil is free of avian influenza. The declaration officially marks the end of the sanitary void that began on May 22, respecting two life cycles of the virus totaling 28 days. The country recorded its first and only commercial case of avian influenza at a farm in the city of Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After Brazil confirmed the case in the city of Montenegro, several countries, following protocol, suspended purchases of chicken meat from Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul, or even from Brazil as a whole. Among these countries are Arab nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a statement, Ricardo Santin, president of meat lobby ABPA<\/a>, said that with the self-declaration Brazil takes a \u2018definitive step\u201d to speed up negotiations so that markets that still apply restrictions on Brazilian products resume purchases. \u201cWe are confident in the rapid restoration of normal shipment flows and in strengthening our role in global food security,\u201d Santin said in the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more<\/em>: Translated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong><\/p>\n
Avian flu outbreak contained, says Brazil minister<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n