In the new commercial reality in which customers value food free of any virus or bacteria, producers and international distribution chains are forced to reinforce their safety systems to reduce the risk of selling contaminated products.
Months ago, it was reported that in China, processed and frozen meat products arriving from abroad were detected with the presence of the coronavirus.
The Nicaraguan Assembly approved a bill empowering the Institute of Protection and Health to impose economic sanctions on any agricultural producer who fails to comply with phytosanitary requirements at the time of an inspection.
The business sector considers that the law known as the "Plant Protection Act" has excessive discretion, since the Institute of Protection and Health (IPSA) cannot become judge and party in relation to complaints to the competent authority, because of the probable existence of a crime.
In response to alerts of African Swine Fever cases reported in Asia, authorities in El Salvador reported that they will carry out fumigations on air, land and sea transportation coming from the affected countries.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) alerted the countries of the region at the end of June to strengthen animal health controls and public and private veterinary services in the member states to prevent the recurrence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the region.
Because Guatemalan authorities have not yet completed the health control program, local producers cannot export live cattle to Mexico, where they could sell between 10,000 and 15,000 head a month.
For Guatemalan cattle ranchers, Southern Mexico is an attractive market, because there is interest on the part of Mexican businessmen to buy standing cattle at better prices than those quoted in Guatemala.
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."
Following the government's self declaration, negotiations with trading partners have been announced to resume the export of live pigs, pork products and by-products, especially to Central America.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food in Guatemala:
Guatemala, August 11, 2016.Ministerial Agreement 141-2016 officially establishes the self declaration of the country as being stable and free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF).This will allow for resumption of negotiations with trading partners and resumption of exports of live pigs, products and byproducts, mainly to Central America.This will have a positive impact on the economy as these items are estimated to be worth close to $10 million.
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, rules of origin and competition rules were defined and progress was made on issues of tariff reduction.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy in Guatemala:
The teams negotiating the FTA between Central America and South Korea ended the V round of negotiations with conclusions to four chapters of the treaty and progress made on two other issues.
The departure of the director of the SFE could improve dialogue between authorities and agribusiness after months of confrontation over the imposition of non tariff barriers.
In a statement issued by the Ministry, the chief Luis Felipe Arauz said 'I, as Minister, asked her to resign.It is absolutely false that the deputy minister signed any certificates that were not inspected.She asked for, and I supported, a return to the system of inspections in packing plants and in the field, in this way strengthening controls in order to improve the issue of INTs in pineapples'."
Nacion.com reports that "...From yesterday afternoon, explained Arauz, controls on pineapple exports at the port were suspended and measures were streamlined in order to reinforce SFE staff carrying out inspections in the field with six officials from the MAG as well as a plan to train inspectors from companies in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture. "
In relation to the conflict over the ban on imports of avocados from Mexico, the minister was clear that the situation remains the same."...After repeating several times that the dispute was only on the issue of changes in pineapple controls, minister Arauz said that support is being maintained for other controversial measures taken by the now former director of the SFE, such as the issue of Hass avocados."
From December 2016 the Asian country will prevent the entry of agricultural products containing any residues of agrochemicals.
From a statement issued by the State Phytosanitary Service in Costa Rica:
SFE authorities have communicated to exporters of unprocessed plant products destined for Korea, that this nation has established a new legislation on Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of pesticides.
The Food Sector Authority has announced new tariffs for technical, sanitary and phytosanitary services which will take effect on 1 April.
From a statement issued by the Panamanian Food Safety Authority:
City of Panama. After several meetings with different associations and the promulgation in the Official Newspaper La Gaceta regarding changes to fees for technical, sanitary and phytosanitary services, the Panamanian Authority for Food Safety (AUPSA), announces that these will become effective from 1 ° of April.
The country has been criticized for violating trade agreements and placing phytosanitary barriers on trade using political-ideological and non-technical justifications.
EDITORIAL
Having entrusted the management of the Ministries of Economy and Commerce and Agriculture and Livestock -and linked institutions - to a group of officials who believe in their own last century protectionist model - and going against openness to the world practiced by the country in the last 20 years, and who were also openly opposing the Central American Free trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States, the Solis administration has made sure that there will be recurrent conflicts related in trade of agro-industrial products to the Northern nation, Costa Rica's main trading partner.
The country will present itself before the WTO to establish that the import of avocados will be subject to certification showing its precedence from zones free of Sun-Bloch.
The request will be made by Costa Rica through the World Trade Organization (WTO), whose Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures meets this week. As part of that committee, Mexico and Guatemala had announced that they would initiate a mechanism of "commercial concern " over the restrictions imposed on entry of the fruit into Costa Rica.
The National Animal Health Service has identified an outbreak of Newcastle velogenic disease in four poultry farms in Guanacaste, where sanitary and quarantine measures have been imposed.
71 sick birds have been reported 65 out which have died from the disease, therefore in order to avoid contagion in nearby farms the movement of animals and poultry in the area has been prohibited.
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.
Approval has been given to the creation of a global system of digital certification to control pests and plant diseases which can spread during international trade.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer):
The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), consisting of 181 countries, has approved the creation of a new global electronic certification system called E-Phyto, which will help stop the spread of pests and diseases via agricultural products transported in international trade, in a way that is safer and cheaper.