Mexico halts Spanish pork imports over African swine fever outbreak
Mexico suspended imports of pork and pork products from Spain after an African swine fever outbreak, barring hams, sausages, cured products and pet-food raw material. Japan has also closed its market, as neither accepts regionalization. China, Spain's top buyer, may accept it but would still block farms in the outbreak province, exposing fourteen Barcelona meat companies.
Mexico halts Spanish pork imports over swine fever
Mexico suspended imports of pork and pork products from Spain in the early hours of Friday after an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) was detected on Spanish territory, according to Spain's Ministry of Agriculture. The measure took effect immediately and covers both commercial shipments and pork products carried by travellers.
Spain's ministry said the decision follows international protocols intended to shield Mexico's domestic pork production from animal-health risks. Mexico's food-safety agency, the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria, specified that products containing pork — including hams, sausages, cured products and pork offal for human consumption — will not be allowed to enter the country. Raw material for the manufacture of pet food is also barred.
Regionalization at the centre of the dispute
Both Japan and Mexico have closed their markets because they do not recognize regionalization, the practice of containing the disease within delimited zones while allowing exports from unaffected areas, according to Emilio García, Spain's director general for agri-food production health and animal welfare. Other markets, including South Korea and the United States, do accept regionalization, García said.
China, Spain's principal pork customer, occupies a special position. Chinese authorities confirmed two weeks ago that they would accept regionalization should ASF cases appear in Spain, though farms located inside the province where the outbreaks are found would still be barred from exporting. García said Spanish authorities are awaiting Beijing's approval to activate the bilateral protocol signed between the two countries.
Barcelona meat industry exposed
The Spanish government estimates that fourteen meat companies in the province of Barcelona could be affected by the block on pork exports to China, following the detection of the first two ASF cases. Barcelona sits within the area where the outbreak was identified, placing its plants inside the restricted zone under China's regionalization terms.
Certificates suspended, most trade continues
Spain has preventively blocked 121 export certificates for meat products out of more than 400 certificate types covering 112 countries, García said. For the remaining certificates, pork exports remain possible. He added that suspended certificates would be reinstated where authorities are confident shipments will be accepted at destination without problems, while certificates that have not yet been fully classified require bilateral consultation with the countries involved. The ministry pledged to report periodically on any changes.
