February 16, 2012

Mexican grain, livestock production hit by La Nina drought

Mexico's worst drought in 70 years has affected 19 out of 31 of its states, hitting grain and livestock producers hard.

The drought, which is the result of the La Nina phenomenon, is expected to cause significant losses for both grain and livestock production.

According to USDA's International Egg and Poultry Review, on January 19, the Secretariat of Economy (SE) issued a preliminary determination of its antidumping investigation on fresh, chilled, or frozen US chicken leg quarters exported to Mexico. The SE also revealed the price discrimination margins for some producer/exporter businesses.

Mexico was recently declared Newcastle disease-free and according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the issue has been resolved in the country. Some 900,000 birds were destroyed in the process and the appropriate measures were taken. No new reports have been reported ever since.

Mexico also lifted its import ban on live poultry, poultry products and by-products from Missouri's Polk County in December 2011.

Mexico's National Health Service, SENASICA, has issued new Letterhead Certificates to accompany imports of raw poultry (fresh), poultry offal (other than organs), raw poultry offal (organs), thermally processed poultry, poultry edible fats, processed egg products, poultry dried meat, and poultry bacon. This came into effect on December 15, 2011.