For the second time this month, reports Meatingplace, Brazilian meat processor, Perdigão, has said it will put thousands of poultry plant workers on paid leave.

Citing Dow Jones Newswires, the report continues that Perdigão announced on 9 February that it will put 4,220 workers on paid leave. This follows an announcement last week it was putting 2,370 workers at a chicken packing plant in Rio Grande do Sul on paid leave from 23 March to 22 April when the facility will resume operations.

Perdigão said in press reports about the announcement that while local consumption was not slowing, it was making adjustments to stocks in its chicken production facilities in Mato Grosso do Sul, Parana and Santa Catarina states.

Brazil is the world's leading chicken exporter, according to Meatingplace.