There are less than 1,000 veterinarians in the country, an insufficient amount to meet the growing demand for specialized attention demanded from the agricultural sector.
"... Johnny Alfaro, 26, a veterinarian and animal scientist who graduated in 2014, cited the example that in the municipality of San Marcos, Carazo, there are only about 3 or 4 and some veterinary clinics have no veterinarian.
Sanitary and quarantine measures have been implemented on the farm where the outbreak was detected in the province of Alajuela.
The Ministry of Agriculture has provided for the implementation of sanitary and quarantine measures to control the disease on the farm where the outbreak was detected in San Jose de Upala, and prevent its spread to other areas.
In Honduras shortages caused by cattle smuggling and uncontrolled exports to Guatemala and Mexico have forced the closure of a plant which in 2014 exported $37 million worth of meat products.
The company Carnes y Derivados SA de CV decided to stop operating the plant that operated in Catacamas, Olancho province, mainly due to the shortage of cattle which is affecting agribusinesses in the country.
Price controls placed on some cuts of meat have altered the prices of other cuts not included in the measure, distorting the entire supply chain, from producer to consumer.
The intention to control the prices of some food products does not seem to show results in the meat sector, as final prices and production costs have been altered for several reasons, including the decision by producers to reduce their shipments of regulated cuts to supermarkets and increase exports to other markets, so as to not reduce their profits.
Producers and industrialists in the livestock sector have agreed to work together to reduce smuggling by optimizing controls on the movement of cattle.
The problem of cattle smuggling is an issue that has already been denounced on several occasions , and has now led to industry players coming together to make changes to processes and improve controls. The goal is to minimize smuggling so that industrialists have sufficient supply to give to slaughterhouse and producers get better yields.
A pilot project aims to provide funding and technical assistance to a group of food producers in order to improve their livestock and increase quality.
The purpose of the project, still in its test phase, is for farmers to use the same milk extracted from cows to feed calves instead of selling it at low prices in the local market. The plan includes providing technical assistance to implement traceability plans and in this way increase the possibility of exporting meat to EU markets.
The commissioning of the plant belonging to the Mexican SuKarne has once again brought to the fore the problem of smuggling of live cattle both to Costa Rica and to Honduras.
An article in Elnuevodiario.com.ni reports that "... Canicarne's executive director, Onel Perez, insisted that the problem of livestock [smuggling] not only affects meat processing plants, but will also have effects on employment in newly set up processing plants, the price of meat for consumers, and livestock taken as a whole. "
The use of fertilizers and pesticides is widespread: 82.1% of farms apply fertilizer and 90.1% use pesticides.
From a statement issued by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC)
Alajuela province has the largest number of farms, totaling 25,176, corresponding to 27.1%, followed by San Jose with 20.3%, while the province of Heredia has the least farms with 5.5%.
The comprehensive livestock plant belonging to the Mexican company Sukarne is currently processing between 180 and 200 cattle per day, and expects to process about 180 thousand a year.
The local livestock sector has high expectations with the launch of the plant by the Mexican company, which expects to sell cattle directly ensuring greater stability in prices.
The start of operations by Lala will have a favorable impact on the conditions of production and quality of milk and stabilize the price of milk for producers.
The start of operations of a plant with capacity to process up to 300 thousand liters of milk per day will result in benefits not only for the production sector, which could sell most of the expressed milk, but also force an improvement in the regional dairy market conditions, infrastructure and production practices related to animal feed, sanitary measures, among other things.
The government has announced the creation of a $19 million trust fund, to be used for lending to stimulate production and improving the herd.
From a statement issued by the Government of Honduras:
President Juan Orlando Hernandez officiated at the company Agribusiness El Corral in Siguatepeque, the creation of a trust that will allow for the provision of $19 million in loans to stimulate production and improve the national cattle herd inventory.
The National Animal Health Service has identified an outbreak in a cattle farm in Puriscal, Province of San Jose, where it has established sanitary and quarantine measures.
From a statement issued by the National Animal Health Service (SENASA):
The National Animal Health Service (SENASA), at the Ministry of Agriculture, has detected an outbreak of bovine paralytic rabies in a farm located in Puriscal, in the district of Mercedes Sur, specifically in the village Quebrada Honda, in the Province of San Jose, where a bovine has died.
The government is looking for alternatives to resolve the conflict between producers and traders, which has generated shortages and led to a rise in prices.
In recent weeks the shortage of meat in the country has caused an increase in prices in the market, despite being one of the products in a list whose prices are controlled. A pound of meat has risen to $2.75. This shortage is attributed to illegal smuggling of cattle to Guatemala.
Confirmation has been given of the presence of the disease in cattle and horses in three municipalities in the department of Chimaltenango, 54 kilometers from the capital.
The affected municipalities are Santa Apolonia, San Jose Poaquil and Tecpán Guatemala. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) confirmed that "... Since last week and up until now, ten cows and at least six horses have died."
Authorities at the Ministry of Health in Nicaragua have strengthened health checks at the border with Honduras due to the presence of paralytic bovine rabies in the department of Lempira.
Although health authorities have assured that the outbreak now poses no risk to Nicaragua, preventive measures are being implemented such as " ...Controls focusing on 100% of notifications of animals, domestic or wild, suspected of having rabies.