The reduction of 75% in the cases of the boreride worm of the cattle has reactivated optimism in the Mexican meat industry before the imminent reopening of the border with the United States, which remains closed by Washington to Mexican cattle standing up for weeks, which has generated losses for more than 11 million dollars daily.
According to Alonso Fernández Flores, president of the National Association of Federal Inspection Establishments (Anetif), the weekly cases went from 120 to only 30, thanks to a coordinated effort between producers, state authorities, the National Service of Health, Safety and Agrifood Quality (Senasica) and national organizations.
“The reopening of the border is imminent, will be based on concrete field results, solid health surveillance since technical cooperation between the two countries is stronger than ever,” Fernández Flores said in a statement.
From the border closure decreed by the US, almost a month ago, Mexico has stopped exporting about 5,700 head of cattle per day, which represents commercial losses of more than 11 million dollars per day, according to the president of Anetif.
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This situation has generated pressure in pens, higher food costs and logistics risks in processing plants, he added.
Although the boreride worm affects only live animals with injuries, Fernández stressed that the plague does not affect the meat products that reach consumers.
“The products made in federal inspection type establishments go through a very strict inspection by the federal government, (…) which guarantee that the product is free, not only of the boreride worm, but also of all diseases that can represent a risk to the public health of the consumer,” he said.
He recalled that the production and dispersion operations of sterile insects to counteract the plague operates to “full capacity” with the support of the governments of Mexico, EU and Central America, with up to 44 weekly flights that release 100 million flies raised in the installation of the Panama-EU Commission for the eradication and prevention of the bare-barewood worm (COPEG).
Fernández hoped that the technical mission of the US Department of Agriculture that will visit Mexico will soon be “decisive to validate the commitments and determine if the suspension can be lifted”.
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He also highlighted the recent meeting between the Secretaries of Agriculture of both countries, in which three axes were agreed to advance: health regionalization, strengthening of epidemiological control and investment in technology.
“The organizations of the Mexican agri -food sector are very optimistic, and we recognize the technical and political will of both governments. We trust that reopening will be a reality in the next few days,” concluded Fernández Flores.
With EFE information
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