SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro on Friday welcomed the opportunity to debate vaccination of poultry against bird flu following the country’s first confirmed outbreak on a commercial chicken breeding farm last month.
Speaking in Paris at the World Organization for Animal Health, Favaro said Brazil would be prepared to host a global conference on animal health in 2026, saying it would be the ideal venue for such a discussion to take place.
The potential use of vaccines against highly pathogenic avian influenza could restrict access to markets for Brazil, the world’s largest chicken exporter.
But Favaro called for a discussion involving sellers and buyers to waive any restrictions in case vaccination is adopted, as Brazil is already facing bird flu-related trade bans.
Favaro also defended a regionalization model under which trade bans would only apply to specific locations affected by outbreaks of highly contagious diseases such as bird flu or Newcastle disease.
Brazil received on Friday a formal certification as a country free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, which in theory could give Brazilian beef access to stricter markets, like Japan.
The industry and minister called this certification “historic.”
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Roberto SamoraWriting by Ana Mano, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
