Mexico has temporarily suspended imports of certain pork products from the United States after antibodies to the pseudorabies (Aujeszky’s disease) virus were detected in swine. The decision is precautionary and aimed at assessing the epidemiological situation.
The ban covers breeding pigs, semen, viscera and pork offal, while shipments of pork cuts remain unaffected, as they do not pose a transmission risk.
The measure was implemented by Mexico’s National Service for Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality (Senasica) on May 2, removing these product categories from the list of approved imports from all US states.
The decision follows a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which on April 30 detected pseudorabies virus antibodies in five boars at a commercial facility in Iowa. The animals originated from an outdoor operation in Texas. This marks the first known case of pseudorabies in US commercial swine since 2004.
According to industry estimates, the restrictions affect about 10% of Mexico’s pork-product imports from the United States. Mexico remains the largest export market for US pork, with about half of its consumption supplied by imports, roughly 80% of which come from the US.
The suspension will remain in place until an epidemiological analysis determines which US regions can safely resume trade. If prolonged, Mexico may turn to alternative suppliers or rely more on domestic production.
Industry representatives note that although the bulk of exports consists of pork cuts, restoring market access for offal products is also important due to their limited demand in the US domestic market.
Overall, the situation highlights the sensitivity of international pork trade to animal health risks, even in the absence of clinical disease outbreaks.
PigUA.info, based on thepigsite.com