The drastic decrease in the number of livestock has generated a significant increase in imports of cattle in order to satisfy the demand for beef.
Information from the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer), reveals that in 2012, Costa Rica imported 11 times more live cattle than in 2011.
Erick Quirós, senior director of regional operations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), said that this drop in the number cattle is a consequence of the crisis of 2009 and the impact of climate change.
Sanitary certification of slaughterhouses in Panama could take three years, therefor Panamanian farmers are planning to export beef to the United States via Costa Rica.
Senior U.S. government officials have warned the livestock sector of Panama that obtaining medical records and certificates of origin which are required in order to be able to export to their country, could take at least three years.
The Agricultural Competitiveness Trust will include in its budget allocations for breeders of beef cattle and milk cattle for the purchase of stallions, improved pastures, and other things.
"The deputy minister of MIDA, Gerardino Batista, announced yesterday that sectors producing beef cattle and milk cattle will be incorporated for the first time into the Agricultural Competitiveness Trust (Fideicomiso para la Competitividad Agropecuaria in Spanish), which provides incentives in areas such as the purchase of stallions, improved pastures and other things limited to the amount of $100,000", reported Panamaamerica.com.pa.
The government of El Salvador will invest $27.3 million in the national sector of municipal slaughterhouses.
In order to improve the quality and hygiene of the abattoirs that operate nationwide, the government will invest resources in building new premises, along with retrofitting and better controls for existing ones.
The plan will be implemented jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and the Center for Consumer Protection.