US poultry export ban to Colombia lifted

Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture instructed all Colombian ports to deny import permits to any poultry products beginning 1 June concerning highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Roughly US$1.1 million in US exports were impacted by the ban between 3 and 8 June.

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) wrote in a statement: “FAS, the USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) joined forces to leverage our free trade agreement to pressure Colombian officials to lift the ban. In parallel, USDA staff in Colombia directed US companies, Colombian importers, local trade associations, and State Department Economic officials to communicate the impact of the ban on bilateral relations with Colombia’s Ministries of Agriculture and Trade.”

FAS continued to note: “The denial of these import licenses, stuck shipments of US poultry, and the uncertainty of market access directly impacted consumers and American businesses. Tyson Foods, PriceSmart, and McDonald’s were some of the main companies that were affected by the ban, along with larger Colombian importers, such as Nestlé, Colombia.