Sector that grows the most in agriculture, poultry fears the approach of disease

It is no wonder that the poultry sector in Rio Grande do Sul and the country is in an uproar and mobilized to prevent the entry of the avian influenza virus into the country. Since Wednesday, when Uruguay and Argentina reported the registration of two cases in wild birds, articulations and contacts have been tightened with state and federal government agencies, in search of answers and guarantees that all efforts are being undertaken by the Public Power to protect the fastest growing agribusiness chain.

In 2022, Brazil produced around 14.5 million tons of chicken meat. Exports secured the 3rd position in the global ranking of production and leadership in shipments. Meanwhile, RS obtained 24.8% of revenue from shipments in 2021. The State was the 3rd largest exporter, with 16.2% of sales and obtained the third largest revenue, with 15.8% of the total.

The occurrence of cases also in Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador, for example, including in commercial farms, affected the activity in these countries, like what happened in the United States, China and the United Kingdom, leading to slaughter preventive control of tens of millions of birds in flocks in these countries. According to the coordinator of Strategic Affairs at the Department of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), Anderlise Borsoi, the migratory period for birds is in full swing, and all North American routes pass through Brazil. One of the destinations is Lagoa dos Patos, which, according to Minister Carlos Fávaro, has been regularly and rigorously monitored, as well as all forms of access to Brazilian territory.

The Associação Brasileira de Proteína Animal (ABPA) and the Associação Gaúcha de Avicultores (Asgav) issued notes aligned, signaling security and confidence in the protocols for the protection of the farms and emphasizing that Brazil does not have and never had cases of the disease registered. The national entity ABPA stressed that any cases registered in wild birds in Brazil would not suspend trade and exports of poultry products, as recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health. Thus, they seek to shield the sector and signal to importing countries the health of shipped products. Despite this, the president of Asgav, José Eduardo dos Santos, considered that the approach of the disease should be the subject of “high alert”.

“The situation is worrying, as the disease is serious and has decimated herds around the world. But Brazil has adopted a protocol of specific measures, with biosecurity rules. The official service is very active, and there is also a package of actions that must be fulfilled by the private sector. We are not sitting idly by. We are ready to give a quick response and assist the producer, in case of occurrence of cases. But attention must be paid, as the impact will not only fall on poultry farming. Other segments linked to the ca deia will also suffer losses”, said the leader.

The entities maintain direct contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation of Rio Grande do Sul (Seapi), monitoring the situation with neighboring nations.

This Thursday, Seapi informed, through a note, that it is mobilized and closely monitoring case reports in South America. According to the text, in Brazil, as well as in Rio Grande do Sul, there has been no detection of the disease until today. The folder adds that the Official Veterinary Service, which includes representatives of the Ministry of Health and the state agency, operates in surveillance and risk mitigation activities to prove the absence of viral circulation through the care and investigation of all notifications received in birds, whether in industrial poultry as in subsistence livestock and wild free-living birds. Seapi’s Animal Health Surveillance and Defense Department has been in line with the surveillance strategies for avian influenza since the beginning of occurrences. Preventive actions have already been reinforced in higher risk areas since the detection of the virus in other South American countries.

On the other hand, the Union of Agricultural Federal Tax Auditors in RS warns of the high risk of avian influenza and points out a shortage of personnel for a possible crisis situation. The regional police station says there is a lack of auditors at the borders and in all areas of agricultural defense, which causes damage to the monitoring and active surveillance of areas considered at risk for the entry of the Avian Influenza virus, due to the presence of migratory birds and subsistence livestock. .

“The reduction in staff over the last 20 years, a period that coincides with the strengthening of Brazilian agribusiness in the international market, is around 40% in the country. In Rio Grande do Sul, there are 167 auditors, but only half act in inspection. And in the case of the poultry activity, we have few personnel in key regions, such as Passo Fundo and Caxias do Sul, where there is only one colleague working”, says union delegate Soraya Marredo.

She observes that the Poultry Health Program, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, encompasses the State Secretariats, through the Veterinary Inspections, the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), in partnership with the sector chain, highly professionalized and efficient . Soraya points out, however, that the role of inspection is fundamental for the health results that have led RS and Brazil to the privileged status of a major player in the international market.

“The actions are well articulated, but the proximity of cases to the borders of a country with continental dimensions leaves an important message. If cases arise, we will need to have trained and qualified personnel to deal with the problem. Viral circulation is fast, and requires an agile response. The recomposition of the defense framework is necessary. The last competition for auditors took place in 2017. There are 4 thousand of us in the country, between active and inactive. And we have colleagues retiring every month”, laments the auditor.

SECTOR NUMBERS in 2022

Brazil

Production – 14.5 million tons of chicken meat

Exports – 4.8 million tons

Invoicing – $9.7 billion

Rio Grande do Sul

Exports – 755.6 thousand tons (up 7% over 2021)

Invoicing – $1.5 billion (up 24.8%)