The department of agriculture announced the decision this week that allows for the resumption of imports from Brazil, except the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is reportedly the only state where there has been an outbreak of avian flu. According to the association, the move will avert significant shortages of mechanically deboned meat used in the manufacture of affordable protein such as polony, viennas, russians and corned meat among others.

The association’s Chairperson, Gordon Nicoll says quantities and product origins vary.

“We used to bring the products from Europe and sometimes Thailand got smaller amounts but from mainly Brazil and a small amount from Argentina. With all this good flu going on all over the world most markets have been closed to us and 95% of that comes from Brazil,"  Nicoll said.

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