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Tico Chickens Get Green Light To
Honduras
After 73 days, the Government of
Honduras, gave the the green
light for Costa Rican chickens
to cross its borders, said an
official of the Ministerio de
Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG).
The opening came after an
agreement was signed the MAG and
the Secretario de Estado de
Agricultura y Ganadería de
Honduras, following a Honduran
expert said the Costa Rican foul
was safe and no posing no
danger.
Héctor Hernández, ministro de
Agricultura (Agriculture
minister), was pleased with the
decision of the Hondurans.
Ministro de Comercio Exterior
(Export minister), Marco Vinicio
Ruiz, also expressed
satisfaction and said now
commercial trade can go back to
normal as there no more
obstacles for Costa Rican
exportation to that country.
The closure to Tico chickens
came on June 20 when a number of
chickens died from the "laringotraqueitis"
virus in Guácimo, Limón. Costa
Rican authorities had to
sacrifice some 334 animals as a
preventive measure to spreading
the virus.
The virus affects the
respiratory system of the birds.
Officials confirmed that less
than 1.000 of the 15 million
chickens raised in Costa Rica,
were infected, and that the
virus is not transmittable to
humans.
However, Honduran officials felt
different and closed its borders
to the Costa Rican chickens
after making an inspection of
four chicken farms in Costa
Rica.
The closure as meant a loss of
millions to Costa Rican
producers as 80% of all chicken
exports are to Honduras.
This year, chicken producers
have sold only 1.24 tonnes of
chicken products. Sales in 2005
exceeded 3.47 tonnes.
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