May 6, 2009

Mexico says pork import bans on H1N1 flu fears unjustified

Mexico called on its trading partners on Tuesday (May 6) to cancel all pork import bans imposed as a result of the A/H1N1 flu virus fears, saying the restrictions had no scientific grounds and violated international trade rules.

In a statement to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Mexico said it was deeply disappointed about bans slapped on its meat in response to the virus that experts said is spread through the air and is not food-borne.

More than 1,000 people have been infected with the flu strain whose emergence has raised global pandemic fears. All but one of the 26 confirmed deaths have been in Mexico, considered the epicentre of the outbreak.

The statement stated that Mexico is concerned about diverse measures that some members of the WTO have adopted against pork product imports from Mexico, using as a reason the outbreak of the A/H1N1 virus.

The country also urgently requests all its trading partners to eliminate any restrictive measures established on Mexican products, which are not in accordance with the scientific information available or with their international obligations.

Global trade in pork meat is worth about US$26 billion a year, and Mexico is one of the top worldwide exporters, along with the US, EU, Canada, and Brazil.

As many as 20 countries, including Russia and China, two of the world's largest pork importers, have banned Mexican meat products in response to the A/H1N1 virus, which has also depressed the market price of hogs.