November 5, 2013
 

Chilean egg producers plan to implement a national salmonella control programme by next year, which will make Chile the first Latin American country to implement such a programme nationwide.

According to Patricio Kurte, General Manager of the Chilean Egg Producers Association (Asohuevo), from 2014 all egg producers in Chile will have to comply with the rules set out in the control programme, which will be monitored by the Agriculture and Livestock Service of Chile (SAG).

Kurte said that Chile will be the first country in Latin America to implement the salmonella national programme in 2014 with the aim of ensuring the safety of the egg in a better way.

The plan began initially as a voluntary initiative by Asohuevo, which was then supported by the Agricultural and Livestock Service of Chile (SAG), making it a requirement for the operation of all layer flocks above a certain threshold of birds.

Kurte emphasised that "there is no country in the world that has eradicated salmonella completely, so we are talking about a control plan and not its elimination."