Honduras Prepares to Gain Access to EU Beef Market

HONDURAS - Honduras is looking to export meat to the European Union and in order to implement the cattle traceability regulations required, the National Agricultural Health Service (SENASA), with support from the Regional Quality Support Programme and the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures in Central America (Pracams), has conducted a broad exposure to the meat and livestock industry on the subject.
calendar icon 5 July 2012
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Eduardo Cohen, component measures coordinator of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Economic Integration System (SIECA), said he is supporting this process at the request of health authorities in Honduras who have expressed interest in exporting beef to the European Union.

"We have shared with farmers and representatives of the meat processing plants, the challenges, opportunities, challenges and implications involved in implementing this tracking system, as they must be united for the launch to be successful."

Meanwhile Heriberto Salinas Amador, Senasa Director General, explained that there are already two pilot centers for identification of cattle in the country, which can be used while they are working on developing the regulations which will be socialised with processors, farmers and the Federation of Farmers and Ranchers Honduras (Fenagh).

"We are doing work to meet the requirement of the European Union in order to access the market with beef, taking advantage of approaching the signing of the Association Agreement with the community."

He said that the goal with the producers is to simultaneously increase the animal population of Honduras with the restocking of dairy and meat.

"To date we have generated approximately $30 million in foreign exchange in the field of meat and we expect to exceed these figures by exporting. The markets we are looking at are Israel, Russia and now the European Union."

The identification and traceability of animals, according to the rules of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) are tools designed to improve animal health and food safety.

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