Brazilian chicken ban lifted but delays and high prices threaten food security

Although cheaper Brazilian chicken imports – vital for millions of poor South Africans – are set to resume next Monday, they will take time to arrive and will cost more than before.

A ban on all poultry imports from Brazil was instituted some two months ago after an outbreak of avian influenza, which affected supply of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) and chicken. MDM is the raw ingredients for polony and viennas and can now be shipped into South Africa again, after an eight-week suspension. 

Chicken Facts noted in a January press release that “local production of MDM is insufficient to meet domestic demand. As a result, importing MDM is crucial for the South African consumer, as it provides an affordable protein option for millions of lower-income consumers.”

In a statement, Merlog Foods manager Georg Southey welcomed the lifting of the ban, but warned that buffer stocks have been exhausted and the “effects of the shortage will be felt for months”. In a statement he added that, “with ships at sea for 28 days or more, it will take at least six to eight weeks to ramp up production, restore shipping schedules, and replenish supply chains”.

Poultry imports are essential in the poultry industry value chain, providing not only food security in times of short supply but also keeping local poultry pricing in check, Chicken Facts noted.

Yet, Southey said that prices are likely to remain elevated as Brazilian exporters try to capitalise on the gap. Consumers can expect higher prices on polony and viennas until October, with normal supply and pricing only expected to stabilise by November 2025. 

The ban was lifted after an agreement between the two countries on updated wording for the veterinary health certificates, meaning all MDM and chicken produced after June 18, when Brazil was declared free of highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu, is now eligible for export to South Africa, pending inspections at the borders, Southey said.

Southey noted that the ban “cut off 95% of South Africa’s MDM supply from May 15”.

The ban on MDM and items such as chicken livers from Brazil has amplified South Africa’s food security crisis, with an estimated 100 million meals lost for every week of the eight weeks that shipments stalled, according to Southey.

“Prices of MDM have already jumped 140%, and shortages are affecting millions of meals, which is putting pressure on school feeding programmes and food processors. The knock-on effects are rising food inflation, job losses in the food processing value chain, and increased food security and nutrition fears,” the chicken importer said.

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