Adapt the country's sanitary norms to international standards and unify food import and export systems is part of the plan proposed by the Varela administration.
In order to take advantage of commercial agreements and increase exports to the European and North American markets, the government is working to consolidate its health systems.
The Panamanian Association of Exporters (Apex) CEO, Rosmer Jurado, said to Elcapitalfinanciero.com that "… the government's decision to initiate the process of unification and modernization of the country's health system is key to ensure that importers and exporters fulfill the same standards, so that consumers are assured that imported products meet the same quality requirements as domestic production, ensuring their safety."
In Honduras, from October 1, processing of International Phytosanitary Export Certificates can be done digitally through use of an electronic signature and stamp.
Honduran authorities reported that the National Service of Agrifood Health and Safety (SENASA), at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), has launched online processing of the certificate.
In Guatemala, two importing companies claim not to be able to bring in this type of fruit imported from Mexico, because the Ministry of Agriculture requires them to present a phytosanitary certificate that their suppliers do not issue.
Because the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) of Guatemala, requires a phytosanitary export certificate which must indicate that avocados coming into the country are free of the Sunblotch virus, since May 11 importing companies have not been able to bring in the product.
Following the same strategy that they used to block the entry of Mexican avocados, in Costa Rica local producers of the fruit now want to prevent imports coming in from Peru.
Producers from the Los Santos area say that the avocados entering the country from Peru are contaminated with the Sunblotch plague, and asked the State Phytosanitary Service to close the Costa Rican market to the Peruvian fruit.
Due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the South American country, Honduras has tightened prevention and control measures at ports of entry such as ports and airports.
Latribuna.hn reports that "...The relevant measures are aimed at preventing the entry of the disease intothe national territory, and maintaining the current health status. In this context a warning has been given of the risks involved in importing live animals, products and by-products of bovine origin from that country."
The government has announced that companies certified as Authorized Economic Operators will have access to faster foreign trade procedures.
Companies interested in achieving this logistical facility in the trade of their products should register voluntarily as Authorized Economic Operators (OAS).
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture:
A pilot plan is being prepared for the exchange of information on sanitary and phytosanitary permits through the PSCs for exports from both countries.
Elperiodico.com.gt explains that"...The procedure, which would not generate any additional cost,will allow paperwork done by a Guatemalan exporter to be transmitted electronically, sending a notification to Mexico, so that the authorities can be satisfied of the origin and compliance with the required permits for entry of merchandise."
With the phytosanitary approval granted by China an opportunity has opened up to sell fresh pineapples in one of the markets with the greatest growth potential.
Twenty pineapple producers have already expressed their interest in exporting pineapple to the Chinese market. Now that the phytosanitary permit has been obtained exporters have an opportunity to start looking for counterparts and begin selling the fruit.
Importers could assume the cost of a laboratory test to determine the absence of the sunblotch disease so that the SFE can authorize entry into the country.
The proposal was raised by the SFE in a meeting held with Mexican authorities in late February.
Randall Benavides, president of the Chamber of Exporters and Importers of Perishables, told Nacion.com that"...
It has been announced that Agroindustrias del Corral has received certification to market beef in the US market starting from next semester.
From a statement issued by from Coalianza:
The United States Department of Agriculture has given the green light to the meat processor Agroindustrias del Corral to export beef to its market, reported the Ministry of Economic Development (SDE) today.
Operations have started on the border between Honduras and El Salvador at the new checkpoint for International Quarantine Services.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in El Salvador:
Authorities in the Salvadoran government and the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA) inaugurated a post for quarantine control at the border El Amatillo, in the department of La Union, with spacious and modern facilities where staff will be able a provide better and higher quality service for quarantine handling and transportation of products entering El Salvador through this border crossing.
In Costa Rica since the government suspended imports of Mexican avocados in May 2014, the average wholesale price of the fruit went up by 19% in 2015 and 16% last year.
Since the country stopped the imports of mexican avocados because of the alleged presence of the sunblotch plague, the price of this fruit in the local market has kept on rising.Although avocados are now imported from seven different countries, total imports have fallen 25% since then, and the average price has recorded since then an annual increase of 18%.
The new regulations will come into force in July 2017 and state that pesticide registrations can be renewed for equal consecutive periods of ten years and must be processed in the six months prior to their expiration.
Agricultural entrepreneurs expect the newregulationpublished yesterday in the official newspaper La Gaceta to start solving bureaucratic problems that have affected the sector for years, as before now they had to wait several months to complete the process for registering products.
The government is preparing a registration system that requires pork producers to mark their pigs in order to combat smuggling through the use of phytosanitary and traceability controls.
The aim is to have the agreement in late January, which would start with 88 producers enrolled in the Association of Pork Producers of Guatemala (APOGUA), in order to have an animal traceability system, prevent the illegal entry of pigs and prevent arrival of illnesses from Mexico.
The European Union still has doubts over the presence of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa in plants of the Phoenix variety and has rejected the request to allow their re-entry from Costa Rica.
In a meeting in which producers and exporters of ornamentals did not participate, the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) put forward the"...