Ecuadorian pork explores international markets for the first time. 22.5 tons of this protein is on its way, by sea, to the Ivory Coast, after leaving Ecuador last Sunday.

This new opening of the market was made possible by the pilot plan of the company Pronaca through its brand Mr. Chancho, with the support of the Association of Pig Farmers of Ecuador (ASPE) and the support of the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad), reported Manuel Salgado, manager of Pronaca Pig Business, who stated that the protein came from the slaughterhouse of Pronaca, located in the parish of Valle Hermoso, in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, which was the first in the country to receive a certificate that meets the parameters for the export of animal proteins.

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According to Salgado, the certification mainly measured three parameters.

The first consisted of safety and quality indices. The second was to check that all hazards had been analyzed to minimize the risk of contamination. Finally, the third index referred to the conditions in facilities that meet control and hygiene parameters for food preparation.

“The challenge to obtain the certificate issued by Agrocalidad began a year ago with joint work that included an inspection and audit by the institution,” explained Salgado. The check focused on the fact that the facility is ready in terms of infrastructure, technology, safety and biosecurity for export to countries with general export requirements.

While the process is ongoing, Salgado noted that the company has begun discussions with potential pork buyers in different parts of the world in 2022, pending the finalization of the first export.

In addition, this first export occurs at a time when pork has become increasingly popular for consumption on the domestic market. According to ASPE, the consumption of pork meat per inhabitant in 2022 was 11.44 kg, which is more than 3 kg more than the current beef consumption, which officially amounts to 8 kg, according to data from the Primorje Cattle Breeders’ Association. and the Galapagos.

For his part, Patricio Almeida, CEO of Agrocalidad, explained that this first export to Africa is a commercial study to find out how that market behaves.

He also highlighted the work that the Agency carried out with Pronac and ASPE in order to achieve this first pork export.

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“It is not an easy job, nor is it quick, on the contrary. We were preparing, let’s remind you that we have a vaccination program against classical swine fever and we also worked with the sector on a technical table for pigs where these types of strategies are defined,” said Almeida.

In this technical table, the head of Agrokalidad revealed, work is being done on the closure of diseases that are restrictive for traffic and compartmentalization in terms of sanitation, that is, that properties that are already advanced and have all biosecurity measures begin to be closed. export proteins.

Almeida assured that there is a closed market that is at the same time related to the signing of trade agreements, such as with China, a country with which the signing of the agreement is close, where, according to the official, there is a high demand for animal proteins.

“Ecuador can be a natural supplier, with the conditions we have here, of this type of protein. So, we have to prepare with the pig farming sector and the companies where we worked in this regard,” said Almeida, who pointed out that the first barrier that must be eliminated is the sanitary one, apart from the commercial one.

It is proposed to export foot-and-mouth disease-free beef after 2025

In the medium term, large-scale exports would include other proteins such as beef.

The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Eduardo Izaguirre, announced last Thursday, during the launch of vaccination against foot and mouth disease, that Ecuador is expected to be declared free of foot and mouth disease without vaccination in 2025, which would promote and open the doors of international markets to this industry.

“Export, once we become a FMD-free country without vaccination, is our goal for 2025 based on the plans we are developing,” Izaguirre said.

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Currently, the country has a herd of about 4.7 million head of cattle, and since 2015, the country has been declared free of foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination.

In this regard, Almeida described the possible export of foot-and-mouth disease-free beef without vaccination as an “ambitious goal”, which depends on several factors and the assessment and implementation of risk analysis.

“As long as there is a risk (of foot-and-mouth disease) in the region, we cannot dare or stop vaccination, but we believe that with the regional programs that are being implemented… think about several years of work on the declaration of freedom from foot-and-mouth disease without vaccines” , said Almeida. He also emphasized that there are countries that recognize the status of a country free from foot-and-mouth disease (without vaccines) for export, but there are others that do not, although he indicated that there is a discussion in the World Organization for Animal Health. (WHO) that it is a valid status, which gives all guarantees that the herd is free with vaccination.