Exports of poultry products from Brazil - which, along with beef, are covered under the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement - in early 2025 were considerably up on the corresponding figure for 2024.

That was before regional outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) slowed exports.

However, economic analysts in Brazil have said that, with the outbreak now seemingly controlled, exports of poultry products have recovered.

The Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics (CEPEA), a research body at the University of Sao Paulo, noted that, between January and April 2025, monthly Brazilian exports of chicken products had averaged 465,800t, surpassing the corresponding figure of 2024 by 10%.

In May, a bird flu outbreak occurred in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, resulting in bans on Brazilian poultry in some of its trading partners, including the EU and China.

After that, shipments of poultry dropped to 393,400t for May and to 343,400t for June, the lowest monthly export volume since 2020.

"It is worth mentioning that no new cases of the disease were registered, which was crucial for Brazil to recover sales to the international market," CEPEA said.

Following the suspension of exports by some countries, exporters had to reallocate some of their volumes, leading to a 20% drop in prices to Brazilian producers.

Despite the bird flu outbreak, CEPEA said that the sector saw positive performance for 2025 as a whole, which it said "highlights the high efficiency and the resilience of all agents involved in the sector".

Mercosur

Under the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, the EU will allow a quota of 180,000t of poultry to be imported duty-free from the four Mercosur states of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

This volume will be phased-in over five years.

This is one area which has caused concern to EU farm organisations, although the agreement's provisions on beef have taken most of the headlines.

The controversial trade deal will allow 99,000t carcass weight of Mercosur beef - mainly from Brazil - to enter the EU at a much reduced tariff rate of 7.5%. The quantity of beef under this quota will be phased in over a five-year period.

European agriculture ministers are to meet tomorrow (Wednesday, January 7) in Brussels for discussions ahead of a possible vote on the EU-Mercosur trade deal at the end of the week.

The meeting, organised by the European Commission, will be attended by EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen.

It is understood the discussion will focus on farming and food security in Europe and will take into consideration concerns raised by farmers during recent protests.

Permanent representatives of member states to the EU (who are appointed by governments) could hold a vote on the trade deal on Friday (January 9).

In Ireland, a major protest has been organised for this weekend against the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.

The protest is being held in Athlone, Co. Westmeath and is scheduled for Saturday, January 10.

The action is being organised by Independent Ireland, and has been described as a "national community protest" by Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice.

Several farm organisation have confirmed that they will be at the protest in an official capacity to support the anti-Mercosur deal message.