WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/857 
23 June 2008 
 
 (08-2961) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
ACTIVITIES BY THE INTERNATIONA L REGIONAL ORGANIZATION 
FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH (OIRSA) RELATING TO THE 
AGREEMENT ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND 
PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
 
Report to the 42
nd Meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  
24 and 25 June 2008  
   The following communication, received on 20 June 2008, is being circulated at the request of 
OIRSA
. 
 
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1. Specific support for production chains for agricultural products 
1. The International Regional Committee for Pl ant and Animal Health (OIRSA), working 
together with the national sanitary and phytosanita ry authorities and the private sector, has continued 
to implement sanitary and phytosanitary programme s in support of agri-food chains.  Below is a 
progress report on these programmes. 
Honduras  
 
2. In support of the fisheries and aquaculture pr oduction chain, OIRSA has established a Health 
and Safety Committee for the Fisheries and Aquacult ure Production Chain, made up of the following:  
the National Association of Aquaculture Produ cers of Honduras (ANDAH), packing plants, tilapia 
producers, the National Animal Health Secretariat (SENASA), and the Directorate-General of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DIGEPESCA).  Th e Committee will receive support from OIRSA. 
3. Five hundred certificates declaring herds free from brucellosis and tuberculosis have been 
issued in the city of La Ceiba under the hea lth programme in support of the bovine chain. 
4. The Porcine Technical Commission (COSIPORC), comprising representatives of the public 
sector, producers from commercial farms, academic circ les, the College of Veterinary Surgeons, the 
meat industry, and importers of ve terinary products, has been offi cially established under the health 
programme in support of the pig production chai n.  The Commission has been reviewing and 
producing guidelines for the programme for the preven tion, control and eradication of classical swine 
fever. 
5. For the second consecutive year, pigs have been  vaccinated under the classical swine fever 
programme, covering 75 per cent of Honduran terr itory.  Nine departments are on the way to 
achieving eradication of the disease. G/SPS/GEN/857 
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  Guatemala
 
 6. The following activities have been conducted in support of the oriental and other vegetable 
production chain: 
• Following meetings with the national authorities and representatives of the private 
sector, the National Agricultural Production Council (CONPRODA) and the 
Guatemalan Exporters' Association ( AGEXPORT), the snow pea and potato 
production chains have been selected for implementation of various phytosanitary 
programmes; 
 
• in order to improve conditions for the in spection of products and by-products of 
animal and plant origin, four cold storag e facilities have been set up in Puerto 
Quetzal, Guatemala, in order to prev ent disruption in the cold chain. 
 7. As regards the health programme in support of  the pig production chain, it is important to 
note that no positive cases of classical swine fever ha ve been reported this year.  The programme is 
now reaching the stage of eradication with nationw ide epidemiological surv eillance.  Serological 
monitoring has been under way throughout the country in order to substantiate the initial protocols, 
and the Guatemalan authorities are aiming for the country to be declared free from classical swine 
fever by early 2009.   
El Salvador
 
 8. As part of its work for the pig production ch ain, OIRSA is continuing to support activities 
under the classical swine fever prevention, control and eradication programme.  It is important to note 
that the outbreak reported in February of this year in the department of San Miguel has been declared 
over and was officially notified as such to the OIE on 21 May 2008.  The national authorities are meanwhile maintaining serological surve illance of pigs in commercial farms. 
9. In support of the fisheries and aquaculture pr oduction chain, the fry nursery infrastructure 
(ponds and electricity) will undergo repairs.  The building of a processing plant is also foreseen under 
the semi-intensive river shrimp farming and marketing project. 
Nicaragua
 
 10. The phytosanitary programme in support of the fruit and vegetable pr oduction chain consists 
of the following: 
• Quarantine measures against Thrips palmi  and phytosanitary surveillance of the pink 
bollworm ( Pectinophora gossypiella  Saunders) pest, which has been officially 
eradicated from the region thanks to joint efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture and 
Forestry (MAGFOR) and OIRSA; 
 
• internal quarantine measures to prevent lepr osis from spreading to the pest-free areas 
of Rivas and Río San Juan; 
 
• fruit fly quarantine measures in the intern al quarantine posts of San Antonio and 
El Tamarindo, located in the area established under the "free area" protocol to the north of Lake Xolotlán.  OIRSA is part  of the Fruit and Vegetable Development 
Commission for the area north of Lake Xolotlán.  G/SPS/GEN/857 
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  11. OIRSA continues to assist the national author ities with the implementation of an animal 
traceability programme for the bovine production chain.   
12. Under the health programme in support of th e pig production chain, which is specifically 
aimed at prevention, control and er adication of classical swine fever, pigs having tested positive for 
the virus of the disease following blood sampling of the country's non-vaccinated pig population are 
being slaughtered, for which the producers are receiving compensation.  The regional reference 
laboratory, based in Nicaragua, is conducting the tests. 
Panama  
 13. In support of the citrus and other fruit pr oduction chain, OIRSA has requested help from 
USDA-APHIS in acquiring prime citrus, mango and pa paya genetic material.  Nine hundred plant 
buds should arrive in September 2008 for the producti on of planting material.  With funds from the 
OIRSA programme in support of the fruit productio n chain, greenhouses will be equipped in Río Hato 
and in El Ejido (Azuero) for the citrus and the papaya and mango plants, respectively.   
14. OIRSA is also working on standards relating to  the certification of nurseries which are due to 
receive the genetic material produced in the El Ejido and Río Hato centres. 
15. As part of the laboratory e nhancement programmes, OIRSA is providing support for the 
refurbishment of two regional animal hea lth laboratories in Chiriquí and Divisa. 
Dominican Republic
 
 16. In support of the oriental and other vegetabl e production chain, the following activities have 
been carried out: 
• Working sessions to organize the cluster a nd elect the Steering Committee (of which 
OIRSA is a member); 
 
• financial and technical support for the courses on (a) nursery plant production and 
(b) traceability and safety; 
 
• printing of 1,000 copies of the guide on phyt osanitary and good agricultural practices. 
 17. The following activities have been conducted under the phytosanitary programme in support 
of the fruit chain: 
• Printing of 1,000 copies of the schedule of agricultural tasks in mango production; 
 
• financial and technical support during field da ys held (a) in San de la Maguana and 
(b) at the experimental farm of the Do minican Agriculture and Forestry Research 
Institute (IDIAF):  Mango cluster; 
 
• huanglongbing (citrus greening) prevention programme meetings:  Citrus cluster. 
 
2. Training, technical assistance and dissemination activities relating to agricultural health 
and trade 
18. In Nicaragua, OIRSA assisted with the se minar in support of the definition and 
implementation of a bovine traceability syst em and delivered a presentation on traceability. G/SPS/GEN/857 
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  19. In Guatemala, OIRSA took part in the Fifth Central American and Caribbean Congress on 
Apicultural Integration and Modernization, at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock 
and Food (MAG). 
20. In Honduras, a training programme for 200 prod ucers from milk collection and refrigeration 
centres in the departments of Atlántida, Colón and Yoro focused on good hygiene practices in milk 
production, sanitary programmes in farms, safety requirements, good manageme nt practices (GMP), 
and sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOP). 
21. To help the national authorities in Nicaragua, OIRSA has taken part in the diagnostic and 
evaluation process for dairy product and fisheries product inspection services. 
22. In La Antigua, Guatemala, the regional semi nar on economic evaluation of animal health 
projects, conducted in coordination with the Span ish International Development Cooperation Agency, 
aimed to raise awareness of the importance of econo mic analysis and risk assessment in respect of 
animal diseases at local, national and regional leve ls in raising project f unds from the government, 
financing institutions and cooperating countries.  Th e participants discussed a number of obstacles to 
Central American integration in the health sphere , such as budget constraints, the poor state of public 
veterinary infrastructure, and the absence of a comm on regional outlook.  As a result, potential areas 
of national and regional action as well as internati onal cooperation in promo ting regional integration 
were identified. 
23. El Salvador hosted the regional seminar/work shop on poultry product risk assessment, which 
was attended by poultry experts from the private a nd public sectors and led to the establishment of the 
Regional Risk Assessment Sub-Commission. 
24. In Mexico, two seminars on biosafety in live po ultry markets were conducted in coordination 
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensu re preparedness against the highly pathogenic H5N2 
Asian strain of avian influenza virus. 
25. In El Salvador, a regional technical panel conve ned to discuss the current use of phosphine in 
quarantine treatments and options for the replacement  of methyl bromide.  Participants included 
officials from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama. 
3. Support for the regional harmonization process 
26. On behalf of the Secretariat for Central Amer ican Economic Integration (SIECA), quarantine 
procedures at regional level (Costa Rica, Nicara gua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala) have 
been compiled with a view to proposing a harm onized handbook on quarantine procedures for use by 
import control posts on the outskirts of the Central American Customs Union. 
27. The guidelines on avian influenza, Newcastle di sease, laryngotracheitis and pullorum-typhoid 
disease, which also regulate regional poultry pro duction, have been revised and updated for 
submission to and approval by the Internationa l Regional Committee for Plant and Animal Health 
(CIRSA), made up of the Ministers and S ecretaries of the OIRSA member countries. 
28. The Technical Committee comprising countries wher e classical swine fever is endemic met in 
El Salvador to draw up the health status-based country action programme and review the legitimacy 
of trade restrictions imposed following the app earance of foci in a country having reached the 
eradication phase. 
29. The Special Session of the CIRSA Technical Commission was held in Nicaragua, where, 
inter alia , agreements were reached on mutual recognition of countries free from classical swine fever  G/SPS/GEN/857 
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  and regional positions were determined for the purposes of trade negotiations and international 
forums. 
4. Transparency of information 
30. Distribution of the monthly Regional Epidemiological Bulletin, which contains information 
on the incidence of animal diseases in OIRSA member countries, has continued in order to promote 
transparency in epidemiological  information and surveillance. 
5. Strengthening of national institutions in order to facilitate trade 
31. The Costa Rican handbook on good agricultural pr actices has been revised at the request of 
the Costa Rican authorities. 
32. In Honduras, the handbook on animal quarantin e procedures applied by the country's 
quarantine system (Animal and Plant Health Protec tion Service (SEPA-OIRSA)) has been revised and 
updated. 
33. In cooperation with the Costa Rican authorities, comments have  been issued on the handbook 
on good agricultural practices. 
34. The Department of International Treaties at the Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has 
received support for technical assessments and e xpert opinions concerning texts such as the 
Convention on Facilitation of Maritime Traffic (FAL, 1965). 
6. Strengthening of inter-institutional relations with other international bodies 
35. In France, the General Session of the OIE saw the signing of a memorandum of 
understanding between OIRSA and the OIE on the est ablishment, management and operation of the 
OIRSA-WAHIS regional animal health information system. 
36. At the sub-regional workshop on SPS-related tec hnical cooperation in Central America, held 
in Guatemala under the auspices of the WTO, the IDB and the Guatemalan Government, OIRSA outlined its cooperation activities in progress or sche duled for implementation in response to country 
requirements and priorities, as identified in the re gional status study on Central American sanitary and 
phytosanitary issues.  OIRSA has pledged to c ontinue supporting its member countries as regards 
sanitary and phytosanitary measures. 
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