Korea's fried chicken franchises can breathe a sigh of relief as the government decided to partially lift its ban on Brazilian chicken imports, allowing shipments from regions unaffected by avian influenza.

Brazil's state of Tocantins has ruled out the occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza, known as bird flu, in a local commercial farm citing preliminary test results, according to a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture confirmed on Friday the first outbreak of avian influenza on a commercial farm in the country. The outbreak, which may trigger trade bans, occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the ministry said in a statement.