And if it isn't tough enough to keep the sugar industry afloat, the Ministry also has its hands full with trying to control screwworm infestations without the use of sterile male flies, which is normally used for eradication of the pest. Mai says currently there are currently a little over 100 cases. He also added that for now, the Mexican exportation market is still secured.
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"Screwworms continue to spread in the country, we continue to have cases. Not as much as has spread in Mexico, Mexico has close to 2,000 and they were infected one month before us. We have no sterile flies dispersed in the country to control screwworms but I think we're close to 120 cases somewhere around there. But we are still on the ground doing farm visits, treating animals, visiting farm to farm. Of course resources are getting scarce because it's a very expensive operation. But we're doing find so far our markets are secure with Mexico and we hope that it continues. From all our negotiations in Mexico, Mexico is saying you are welcome to export to us once your animals are clean, the inspections are done, you meet the protocols so we're trying very much to try to keep it out of the area that we export cattle from but the time will come when we will find cases nearby but we have done everything that is in the books that they have asked of us."
