During the first quarter of the year in Costa Rica 99,662 cattle were slaughtered, 4% more than reported in the same period in 2019, which is largely explained by shipments to the market in China.
Although the spread of covid-19 has negatively impacted most economic sectors worldwide, data from the Livestock Corporation (Corfoga) detail that between January and March 2019 and the same period of 2020, the number of cattle slaughtered increased by 3981, from 95681 to 99662.
In the last five years, beef consumption in Central America increased 4%, from 335,000 tons in 2014 to about 347,000 tons in 2019, growth that was boosted by the Salvadoran and Honduran markets.
Figures from the "Beef Market Snapshot" prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, detail that in the last two years’ regional consumption of beef registered a slight increase, since between 2018 and 2019 it is estimated that demand in Central America rose from 341 thousand metric tons to 347 thousand tons.
After the first case of paralytic rabies in cattle was confirmed in Coto Brus, the authorities decided to quarantine the farm that houses 110 cattle.
Because the National Animal Health Service (Senasa) confirmed the death of a cattle that was affected by this disease, the movement of any cattle from the farm located in Puntarenas province was prohibited.
After the sanitary protocol to sell meat to China came into effect and the industrial plants in Costa Rica were certified, the Central American country's sales to the Asian giant doubled between 2018 and 2019.
Figures from the Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (Procomer) show that in 2018 beef sales to China reached $22 million, while in 2019 they doubled to $57 million.
Following an outbreak of paralytic rabies in Veraguas province, local authorities reported that a cordon sanitaire was established to prevent the spread of the disease.
Representatives of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) explained that the quarantined area is equivalent to a 10-km radius from the reported outbreak in Mariato district.
As in the case of Panama, Chinese authorities gave their endorsement for the processing plants Porcina Americana and Carnes Zamora to start selling pork products to the Asian giant from January 2020.
Following the authorization granted by the Asian country, pig farmers predict a strong impact on employment generation in rural sectors where most pig farms are located, reported the National Animal Health Service of Costa Rica (Senasa).
Between 2017 and 2018, the number of cattle rose from 1.49 million to 1.58 million, an increase of 5%.
The National Agricultural Survey (ENA) prepared by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, specifies that of the total number of cattle counted in 2018, 61.8% corresponds to meat production, 15.8% was allocated to milk production, 22.2% dual purpose and finally, working animals represent 0.2%.
From January to March 2019, the countries of the region reported $154 million in sales of beef abroad, and exports to Puerto Rico grew 12% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Costa Rican authorities issued a health alert because they are marketing anabolic medicines, multivitamins and dewormers without registration in the country.
The Directorate of Veterinary Medicines (DMV) of the National Animal Health Service, explained that the compounds that are being offered on social networks and some websites are Injectable Crecibol and the vitamin Engordan Plus Ande.
In some cantons of Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Alajuela, Cartago and San José, the government declared a state of emergency because of the hydric deficit in the country, a consequence of the abnormal behavior of rainfall.
Rainfall behavior is an effect of the Southern Oscillation, El Niño (ENSO). The situation has affected human consumption of liquid, productive activities of agricultural vocation and the environment, informed the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Reports of African Swine Fever in Asia alert countries in the region to strengthen border controls, especially in the management of food waste from airplanes and ships.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) urged the strengthening of animal health and public and private veterinary services in the member states to prevent the recurrence of African swine fever (ASF) in the region, the institution warned in a statement.
After the death of at least two thousand head of cattle was reported in Guatemala, authorities and producers agreed to work to establish "in a scientific manner, the cause of bovine mortality.
For the purpose of determining in a conclusive way the factors that cause this sanitary phenomenon in Petén, several sectors of the productive chain of meat and milk of this department were summoned last Monday, March 18, to integrate a technical table that establishes in a scientific way, the reason for bovine mortality, explained the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA), in a press release.
In Costa Rica, it is estimated that nearly $6 million is lost each year because of theft and illicit piecing of cattle on the country's farms.
The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) reports 37,427 head of cattle stolen or cut up between January 2007 and November 2018, with a unit value of around $670 (400,000 colones). According to businessmen in the sector, the main problem is that many of the thefts are not reported by the cattle ranchers, making it even more difficult to identify the criminals behind the cases.
The 52% of the total cattle registered in the country corresponds to animals for meat production, 16% to dairy cattle and 31% for double purpose.
The National Agricultural Survey (ENA 2017), carried out by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), details that among the main results was found that the country has 1,497,551 head of cattle.
In the Dominican Republic, outbreaks of avian influenza were reported in the localities of Corozo and Quebrada Honda, in the province of Espaillat.
The Dominican Ministry of Agriculture reported that the outbreak of the disease was caused by the A H5N2 virus, and that it has initiated actions to neutralize the virus's advance in the country.
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