The Ministry of Agriculture has declared an alert over animal health and banned the import of eggs and poultry from several US states due to avian influenza detected there.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG):
In order to protect poultry and so that El Salvador is not affected by avian influenza, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) has declared an animal health alert across the country, and prohibited the import eggs and poultry from the United States without proper sanitation procedures.
The Livestock Directorate is increasing border controls to prevent the smuggling of contaminated cheese.
21 days ago, authorities installed tighter controls in several customs offices and in the Amatillo border, near Honduras.
"According to data from dairy producers association Proleche, the most smuggled products are custard, hard cheese and adulterated goods such as fluid milk, made from powder milk, a forbidden practice in El Salvador", reported La Prensa Grafica.
In 2009, authorities confiscated 1.7 million pounds of smuggled dairy products, worth $4.4 million.
Orlando Carranza is the President of Proleche, the Dairy Producers Association of El Salvador. He stated that smuggling is the industry's largest problem, and that the situation has worsened in the past year.
Elsalvador.com reported that "the situation affects national producers because illegal products, originated from Nicaragua and Hoduras, drag down prices, as there is excess supply".