Brazil, the world's biggest exporter of chicken meat, on Friday welcomed China's move to lift a ban on imports of the product after an outbreak of bird flu earlier this year.

China and the European Union suspended imports of chicken meat from Brazil in May after the outbreak.

Brazil said in June it was free of bird flu and would resume exports.

"Gradually, all major importers of chicken meat resumed purchases," the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) wrote on its website on Friday.

"Recently, the European Union announced the resumption of shipments. Today, China ...reopened its ports to Brazilian products."

The ABPA said there had been a "broad and intense diplomatic effort" by the Brazilian government to resume exports.

Before the suspension, China had been the largest impor

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