MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay on alert over avian flu outbreak in neighboring Brazil

The Senacsa adopted this measure while awaiting clearance to start beef exports to the Philippines

Paraguay's National Service of Animal Quality and Health (Senacsa) issued Friday a sanitary alert, urging officials, producers, and citizens to report sick or dead birds and avoid handling them to prevent disease spread. The measure was adopted after Brazil confirmed its first outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry farm in Rio Grande do Sul.

Senacsa requested a “maximum alert” to officials of the Sanitary Region Coordinations, heads of Zonal Units, Revenue Points, producers, and citizens in general, who should notify authorities of any sighting of sick or dead birds.

“It is important to remember not to handle birds with signs of disease or dead birds, to avoid the risk of contagion. Prompt notification will allow appropriate sanitary actions to be taken to prevent the spread of the disease in the country,” the Paraguayan agency recalled while underlining Porto Alegre's proximity to the border.

In an unrelated development, Senacsa President Juan Carlos Martín confirmed this week that Philippine authorities would be confirming in July whether Paraguayan meat would be eligible for imports.

The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) of the Philippines conducted an audit from April 28 to May 13 to assess food safety standards for Paraguayan beef, pork, and poultry. However, Paraguay must submit additional data by May 29 to complete the report. The Philippines is a major meat importer in Asia, second only to China. In 2024, it imported 12 times more pork than Taiwan and twice as much beef.

“They visited plants, laboratories, and ports of entry. It was a fairly thorough review; they're very detailed, and it was actually a very convenient audit, in the sense that, by being very detailed, it prepares us for future audits,” Martín explained.

Despite the potential market expansion, Paraguay will pause new audits, except for Mexico, it was also explained. However, ongoing negotiations with Japan will not be dropped.