On 13 March, the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Authority (SAG) decided to suspend the issuance of national export certification for poultry products and informed the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and all trading partners after learning that a poultry at the Agrosuper production centre in Rancagua city was infected with avian influenza.

Esteban Valenzuela, Chile's agriculture minister, thanked Agrosuper for reporting the situation and said, "It will not affect poultry consumption at all", according to El Pais and ADN radio, "This pandemic, we believe, is transmitted through bird droppings and saliva, not meat."

Valenzuela said he was confident, "In a month's time, export capacity will be restored gradually because we have agreements with the EU and the US and there will not be a complete blockade. Next, we will talk to Mexico, Argentina and China, countries with which we import and export poultry."

"Active surveillance is under way and so far, no other poultry have been detected with avian flu-like symptoms," the Agrosuper report said. The Agrosuper production center, located in the western region of Rancagua City, raises about 40,000 poultry, according to the ministry.