Mexico closes border to US pork after pseudorabies outbreak, raising supply concerns

Mexico's decision to close its border to US pork imports following a pseudorabies outbreak in Iowa has disrupted the North American pork trade and raised concerns about supply and prices, market participants told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy.

The ban, which took effect after the US Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of pseudorabies virus antibodies in a commercial herd, is expected to impact key products such as trimmings and variety meats—two of the most important categories for Mexican buyers.

Mexico is the largest importer of US pork, and according to weekly export data reported to the USDA, trimmings and variety meats represent nearly 30% of total US pork exports. The closure immediately affects a wide range of products, including uterus, stomach, hides, head, and snout, which are widely consumed in Mexico for preparing carnitas.

A Mexican importer told Platts that the border is now closed for these items, adding that Spain is also closed due to sanitary concerns and Brazil does not export these products. "So far, prices in Mexico have not been affected, but if the border closure continues, they will surely rise," the importer said.

Platts assessed Frozen Pork Loin EXW-US Midwest at $1.46 per pound, or $3,174.66 per metric ton, on May 4, unchanged from the previous assessment. However, market participants are closely monitoring developments, as ongoing restrictions could tighten supply and push prices higher in Mexico.

The disruption began when the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced on April 30 that routine testing had detected pseudorabies virus antibodies in a small commercial pig unit in Hardin County, Iowa. The diagnosis was confirmed by National Veterinary Services Laboratories using ELISA and latex agglutination tests.

Further investigation revealed that five infected boars had been moved from an outdoor facility in Texas, where contact with feral pigs—an endemic reservoir for the virus in the US—was presumed. APHIS noted this was the first case detected in a commercial herd since 2004, the year the US declared the disease was eradicated from its formal industry.

In response, US authorities, in coordination with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Texas Animal Health Commission, launched epidemiological tracing and containment measures. APHIS reported that movement controls and tracing were implemented to prevent further spread, in line with established protocols.

Mexico's National Service for Health, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA) activated immediate measures on April 30, suspending imports from the US of breeding pigs, porcine semen, viscera, and offal, including Canadian products of US origin. The decision directly addressed the zoosanitary risk posed by the first outbreak in more than two decades.

Industry organizations have also responded. The Regional Livestock Union of Sonora Pork Producers (UGRPS), based in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, issued a statement on May 3 supporting SENASICA's actions. UGRPS confirmed the outbreak involved five boars in Iowa from Texas, and noted local authorities had depopulated the affected site and established a five-mile surveillance zone with mandatory testing within 15 days.

While Mexico's pork industry is dominated by large companies, organized independent producers also play a key role in health and competitiveness. In Sonora, one of the country's top-producing states, these producers are represented by UGRPS, which acts as a technical and sanitary liaison with authorities.

UGRPS stressed that SENASICA's measures are proportional and emphasized that pseudorabies poses no risk to human health or pork safety.