this Bird flu started at the beginning of the year caused estimated losses Poultry farming in Yucatán 300 to 400 million pesosThe President of the Southeastern Poultry Growers Association reported, Puerto Jorge Manuel Cabrera.
Leaders recognize this animal disease is a A heavy blow to the poultry industryat the same time Production of egg dishes and chicken. However, Poultry farming in Yucatan It has risen and is moving forward, with production back to 100% by next November and by 2024 egg production is expected to grow by 1% and chicken production by 2%.
based on information from federal department of agriculture and rural developmentfrom October 2022 to February 2023, the National Health, Safety and Quality Service (Senasica) comfirmed There are 50 positive cases of bird flu in 13 states in the countryamong them Yucatán, Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Mexico, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca States, Puebla, Sonora and Tamaulipas A total of 5.9 million poultry were affected, which represents less than 0.3% of national poultry production.
Infection detected by Senasica Bird flu reported in 15 farms in Yucatán.
They see signs of business improvement in poultry industry
Yucatán is a big consumer of eggs Jorge Manuel Puerto Cabrera, president of the Southeastern Poultry Farmers Association, said the number exceeds the national average per capita.
As he explained, the national per capita consumption is 23 kilograms, while in Yucatán it is 24 or 25 kilograms, generally because in our entities the per capita consumption is more Variety for stewsthere is a larger custom that is produced here.
“Local egg production is high and we supply the entire southeast region,” he stressed. “We actually create a food chain that, to some extent, could become a form of food security for states in that part of the country.”
“Despite hurricanes, diseases, crises, we are here, we are not leaving, despite the passage of time (due to their age), we are still here. We continue to bet on egg production, which is a very dangerous bet business because it’s a perishable product and birds are living things, today they’re fine, tomorrow who knows.”
The Poultry Farmers Association has 1 on its register44 farms across the statewith a total of about 25 million egg-laying hens and broiler chickens. It produces 75,000 to 90,000 cartons of eggs per week.
Today the production gap is 20%, but the industry is clearly recovering and will reach 100% by November 2023.
Leadership, with support in providing information about lawyers Jorge Zaldivar FloresAn association member and executive of one of the major egg and chicken production companies is cautious about expansion or growth projects in the poultry industry, “because This activity faces the same problems as the Yucatan pig industry.“.
He knows these comments will create problems and mobilize people against the event, but he acknowledges that they are on this path of growth.
“Unfortunately, our production methods and costs are not the same as foreign producers,” he stressed. “First of all, we have an exchange rate higher than the U.S. dollar and we are dependent on this foreign currency. Secondly, in other countries they pay producers for animals affected by the disease. In Mexico it’s about doing whatever you can to save yourself.”
“With bird flu, everyone absorbs its damage. Luckily we helped each other and had a strong relationship and they didn’t let our business die. The unity and unity in our association saved us. “
Will egg prices rise due to inflation?
“Prices rise when there is no local production due to bird flu. We have to bring them from other places where we have agreements,” he said. “The cost of freight, shipping insurance and theft of merchandise drives up prices. They stole a truck full of 1,000 boxes of eggs In that conflict-ridden place of Floresburg. “
According to him, egg prices have been stable since local production resumed. Since then, the price of eggs has plummeted on the market. No longer imported from other places, the market price has been stabilized.
According to Zaldívar Flores, today the average price of a kilogram of eggs is $38, but prices vary depending on location and the honesty of the merchant.
Questions about the urban legend that poultry farmers use hormones to speed up the growth and fattening of chickens and laying hens, Puerto Cabrera He said this was one of the myths surrounding this type of production, but denied that this was the case.
“The hormone does not develop very quickly in the animal, it takes 18 weeks for the hen to reach adulthood and the chick will be sold in six weeks, but it is not made with hormones,” he said. “It takes six months for a hormone to replicate in the body and it’s very expensive to use, and that’s not the price it would be sold for on the market.”
Yucatan and national poultry farming in general are strictly monitored by Sadr and Senasica. They’re constantly analyzing the product, the poultry they produce, taking samples from the animals to see if they don’t have any disease viruses, They check eggs for salmonella, If it is not infected or contains elements that could cause health problems in humans.
In summary, poultry production is healthy and reliable food for human consumption.
It is precisely because of such myths and urban legends that the association and the Latino University jointly carry out activities to demystify them in society.
The International Egg Day conference will be hosted by Dr. Teresa Rull Reveles this Friday at 10 a.m. at Latin University and will focus on the importance of eating eggs as a healthy food without harmful cholesterol.
Latin University has requested a conference next year to discuss all issues related to chicken production and consumption.
Egg Day and its Benefits
this southeastern poultry farmers association will celebrate tomorrow Friday the 13th is International Egg Day Sample eight dishes and desserts based on this protein food, and host sessions that uncover urban legends surrounding the production of harmful cholesterol in humans.
he Egg Day in the Yucatan Peninsula will be commemorated in latin universitylocated on the old highway leading to Cholul, adjacent to Model university.
The first event will be from Dr. Teresa Rule Revels Together with gastronomy and nutrition students from the host university and members of the public in attendance, as it is An open and free event.
This conference The time is 10 o’clock in the morning According to the organizers, all questions people have about this basic food will be answered based on science. Yucatecans, Mexicans and the World.
Dr. Rull Reveles holds a degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences from the Universidad Iberoamericana and a Master’s degree in Social Gerontology from the University of León, Spain; holds a PhD in Nutrition from the International University of the Atlantic; she holds a Diploma in Diabetes and is a professor in several higher education institutions and is Nutrition expert and nutritionist for Mexican Olympic athletes.
President and member of Southeast Poultry Farmers Association, Jorge Manuel Cabrera Port and Jorge Zaldivar Flores, Respectively; President of the Latino University and Dean of the Department of Gastronomy, Hugo Pacheco Vazquez and Aurora Rivera Aranda, They covered the observance of International Egg Day.
They also discussed the prospects for economic activity in the state following the arrival of Covid-19, the economic crisis and avian influenza, which we covered in a separate report.
Egg Day Event
The leader of the group reported egg day The conference will begin at 10 am at the Universidad Latin America with a keynote address by Dr. Rull Reveles.
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be tastings of dishes and desserts prepared by gastronomy and nutrition students, showcasing the versatility of eggs in food preparation.
It is expected that there will be enough dishes and desserts for attendees.
“We have formed an alliance with Latin American universities so that their students know everything related to eggs, so this university will be our headquarters for the second year in a row,” reports the president of the association.
Eggs, part of Yucatan cuisine
Teacher Aurora Rivera emphasized that the most important thing about this commemoration of eggs is that they will make the university community aware of the importance of this food and dispel all myths and false information about it.
“We’ve heard some urban legends… it’s painful, There are hormones, and many things are known to be lies.“said the scholar.
“Experts and manufacturers will tell young people what the production process is like, they will explain that it is one of the most important proteins in the human diet, it is the cheapest, it is still affordable.”
“It’s about giving meSpecialties of Yucatan Cuisine“There is no kitchen without eggs,” he reiterates. “I think eggs are an important part of our Yucatan cuisine, eggs are always present in the preparation of food. We want to add more eggs to our lives, it is a healthy protein food, it is good and important , we have it on hand to feed ourselves.”
Some of the dishes that gastronomy students will prepare include traditional egg chaya pancakes. motuleños eggs, papadzules, queen’s arms, egg and cheese croquettes, Egg Burritos with Tea and Coffee Eggnog.