Embargoes on chicken exports persist in the US, even with the decrease in cases of Avian Influenza

Despite going months without infections in their flocks, US poultry producers say they face serious economic problems from avian flu, as China and some smaller importers fail to lift embargoes imposed during what was the worst outbreak of Avian Influenza ever. faced by the North American poultry industry. Durable, the embargoes imposed last year under the justification of preventing the spread of the disease restrict an export market of US$ 6 billion, hampering even more the performance of the sector, which already faces problems with limited labor, low prices of chicken and uncertainty about feed costs. The Chinese market is particularly important for US companies because it is the main destination for items like chicken feet, which Americans generally do not consume, industry officials said. Pilgrim's Pride CEO Fabio Sandri warned Thursday that Beijing could extend its ban even as other countries resume trade. Majority owned by JBS, the company is one of the largest chicken ...