At least 43 outbreak cases have been reported around the country, and the government has been scrambling to contain the outbreak of the bacterium Streptococcus aglactiae ST7 1a since it was detected within the waters of some tilapia crops inside the country starting in March 2023. 

The bacteria mostly affects tilapia and isn’t harmful or transferable to other species, according to experts. The National Agricultural Institute (ICA) describes its effects on tilapia as deadly due to a disease with the “main clinical signs include lethargy, erratic swimming, exophthalmia, skin, tail, and fin lesions, and death.”

Juan Fernando Roa, the manager of ICA, postulated that the bacteria may have entered the country through the irregular import of products that came from Mexico, though this has yet to be officially confirmed.

The institute, which has also declared a formal state of sanitary emergency, has reported that more than 40 tons of tilapia have been lost, with a tilapia mortality rate of 10% in Tolima, 12% in Huila, 37% in Magdalena, and 47% in Atlántico.

The National Aquaculture and Fisheries Authority (AUNAP) visited multiple fish markets in Bogotá, Ibagué, Neiva, and Barranquilla to reassure traders that the bacteria itself is not harmful to humans and that the proper steps are being taken to ensure the sanitary safety of the surviving fishes. 

“The message we share is one of calmness,” said Hernán David Rubio, director of AUNAP. He added that, “this health emergency was declared so that the government can implement prevention and containment measures in a timely manner, guaranteeing food security, as well as the feasibility of importing vaccines.”

It is unclear how significant the bacterium’s spread in Colombia could be, but government offices have reassured consumers that the fish that comes into the market after going through a strenuous process guarantees the “traceability, safety, and quality of the fishing product that reaches the table of Colombians.”

“We applaud the campaign of the Ministry of Agriculture and the accompaniment of AUNAP so that people do not panic, continue eating fish and continue eating healthy,” said Jhon Gutiérrez, president of the Marketers Cooperative of Plaza del Pescado in Barranquilla. 

ICA, as the national health authority, continues to facilitate export processes in Colombian ports so that the country’s agricultural products reach their destination in compliance with the sanitary conditions established during trade negotiations.

“The national pork sector is ready to reach the great international market. From ICA we will continue to accompany each process, and we will continue to manage to ensure that Colombian products reach markets around the world,” said ICA general manager Deyanira Barrero León.

Minister of Agriculture Rodolfo Zea Navarro emphasized that “the world trade in pork is over $28 billion USD and in Asia the dynamics are highly attractive, which leads us to redouble efforts to achieve sanitary access in markets such as Korea with which we have a trade agreement and China where pork is its main source of protein.”

Julio César Aldana Bula, General Director of Invima highlighted that “the advances of the Colombian meat industry and the fulfillment of high sanitary and safety standards allow the access of products such as pork to international markets. The efforts of the national government within the framework of the policy of health diplomacy have added to the commitment of the productive sectors, are allowing the expansion of opportunities for the commercialization of national production in different countries.”

INVIMA is the inspector for meat processing establishments, in order to ensure the quality and safety of products and compliance with sanitary standards in domestic and international markets.

The first 25-ton container will set sail from the port of Cartagena to Hong Kong, with products from five plants (Supercerdo Paisa, Frigorífico Colanta, Frigotun Pereira, La Fazenda and Carnes y Derivados de Occidente). Three containers of 25 tons each will be sent to the Ivory Coast between June and July, with products from Frigotun Pereira, Supercerdo Paisa and Carnes y Derivados del Occidente.

For his part, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Rodolfo Zea Navarro, explained that “we will maintain our efforts of inter-institutional coordination at the table for the promotion of pig meat exports, where we prioritize markets and actions focused on opening markets from health diplomacy. In more than 20 sessions we have prioritized actions in [focus] countries such as China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines, Malaysia and South Korea, with total imports of more than 2.8 million tons.”

Photo credit: Loren Moss