OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Canadian poultry genetics exporters will again have access to the lucrative Mexican market in the aftermath of that market being closed following the March 2004 outbreak of avian influenza. Gerry Ritz, Canada’s agriculture minister, made the announcement on Aug. 4 after participating in numerous exchanges and high-level interventions with the Mexican government.

Mexico is an important market for Canadian exporters of poultry and related products. Imports of day old chicks and poults and hatching eggs to Mexico from all countries reached $18.2 million (US$17.9 million) in 2009. Due to this new agreement, Canadian industry estimates that exports of these products from Canada could potentially reach $2 million (US$1.96 million) annually.


"We're very pleased to hear that the export of hatching eggs, day-old chicks and turkey poults from Canada to Mexico can restart after Canada received confirmation that Mexican authorities informed their border points of entry" Ritz said.

In 2009, Canadian agri-food exports to Mexico were $1.5 billion (US$1.47 billion). In addition to leading dozens of trade missions to expand international markets for Canadian farmers, Minister Ritz has broken down trade barriers in markets such as China, Russia, Hong Kong, Colombia and Mexico.