By Tom Johnston on 4/27/2009
MeatingPlace.com
Some international trading partners are tightening their borders to U.S. and Mexican pork following reports of cases of hybrid swine, avian and human influenza virus in the United States and Mexico, according to international media reports.
China has banned pork imports from Mexico and the U.S. states of Texas, Kansas and California, according to Japan Economic Newswire, following a similar move by Russia. (See Swine flu prompts Russia to suspend meat imports from Mexico, several U.S. states on Meatingplace, April 26, 2009.)
Thailand also has suspended imports of U.S. and Mexican pork and set up thermal scanners at Bangkok's main airport to check arriving passengers for signs of swine flu.
Philippines officials have ordered stricter monitoring of all its ports to block entry of hogs and pork from the United States and Mexico.
Indonesia has temporarily halted imports of pork, though media reports weren't clear as to whether the country is banning all U.S. pork or just pork from certain U.S. states.
Jordan, meanwhile, has banned imports of all types of meat, including pork, from the United States and Mexico, according to Deutche Press-Agentur.
Tighter security
Japan announced it would tighten airport security checks and other border health controls to prevent sickened humans from entering the country. However, Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters it wouldn't be necessary to ban pork imports from the United States and Mexico because such imports already undergo "very strict sterilization."
South Korea designated swine flu an infection livestock disease, which gives authorities a legal basis to cull sick animals if necessary. But Seoul said it doesn't plan to ban pork or live pigs from North America because its measures to check for the virus are sufficient.
According to USDA's Economic Research Service, in 2008 Russia imported 430 million pounds; China imported 361.5 million pounds; South Korea imported 296.9 million pounds; and the Philippines imported nearly 72 million pounds.
Japan is the largest market for U.S. pork and imported 1.3 billion pounds last year.
Pork is safe
Meanwhile, public health officials reiterate that people cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products.
Nonetheless, the virus could cause significant trade disruptions, as importing countries exercise outright bans of U.S. pork or prohibit pork from certain U.S. states.
"We are urging U.S. officials to work aggressively with a handful of nations that have ceased imports of U.S. pork to convey the science to secure a full restoration of trade," J. Patrick Boyle, president and CEO of the American Meat Institute, said in a statement. "These trade suspension actions are based on unfounded fear, not on scientific facts."
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