Avian influenza outbreak confirmed in Puebla, Mexico

During the annual convention of the Mexican Association of Poultry Science Specialists, Aneca, last week, Dr. Assad Heneidi of the Mexican Food Safety Agency, Senasica, mentioned in his presentation the confirmation by polymerase chain reaction of the presence of avian influenza in the state of Puebla, Mexico. On May 9, the World Organsation for Animal Health confirmed this with the release of an updated avian influenza report.
The outbreak in the municipality of Palmar del Bravo, Puebla, began May 1 in a commercial layer farm and was resolved May 7, leaving 40,000 dead animals. Avian influenza was confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory using virus isolation on May 6. On May 7, the farm was depopulated and counter-epidemic activities began, such as cleaning, washing and disinfection of facilities and equipment, as well as perifocal sampling within a radius of 10 km, in addition to state surveillance.

Mexico egg prices remain high after avian influenza outbreak

Mexico is considered to have the greatest per-capita consumption of eggs in the world, and the high level of egg consumption coupled with the production decrease and highly pathogenic avian influenza-related market speculation have pushed egg prices higher for all major population centers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Mexico's poultry and egg industry organization, UNA, reported that industry members attempted to maintain supplies and dampen the price spike by reducing or eliminating egg and egg product exports while also extending egg-layer production cycles to between 125 to 128 weeks. Still, prices more than doubled during the outbreak and are still hovering more than $0.50 per kilogram greater than the same period in 2011, whereas U.S. egg prices in dollars per dozen are virtually unchanged from 2011 numbers. In response, Mexico opened its market more broadly to imported eggs.
Most egg imports as a result of the avian influenza outbreak did not get into full swing until September. U.S. shell egg exports to Mexico totaled 1.998 million dozen for January–August; in September alone the U.S. exported 7.89 million dozen eggs.
Mexican authorities and industry members indicate that egg prices have stabilized, albeit at levels greater than before the outbreak. The pre- and post-incident prices are considerably different in Mexico, while prices in the U.S. are similar to 2011, according to the USDA. In addition to disrupting the general supply and demand of Mexico’s egg market, escalating prices pushed Mexico’s Foreign Trade Commission, COCEX, to refrain from imposing anti-dumping duties on imported U.S.-origin chicken leg quarters. U.S. chicken leg quarters remain a low-cost protein source for many Mexican consumers and are much cheaper than their Mexican equivalents, as feed grain input costs and consumption preferences between the countries differ significantly.

New US restrictions for Mexican poultry, egg imports

Processed poultry meat and hard-boiled eggs brought into the U.S. from Mexico must now be accompanied by specific government certification documentation or an import permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, according to import requirements set by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The measures were announced after USDA APHIS released new requirements for poultry products coming from countries where Exotic Newcastle Disease is said to exist. Certifications must confirm meat has been cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, poultry must have the APHIS veterinary services import permit. Thoroughly cooked, hard-boiled eggs from Mexican states other than Sinaloa and Sonora must also be accompanied by a permit.
Poultry products without a USDA APHIS permit will be seized or refused entry, according to CBP.

Mexico leads world in per capita egg consumption

Mexico's National Poultry Institute (INA) announced that Mexicans consume the most eggs worldwide, according to reports. That’s an average of 438 eggs per year per person. Lawmakers are fighting to exclude eggs from a proposed food tax arguing the product is an inexpensive and healthy protein source.
Mexico is expected to produce 2.35 million tons of eggs this year.