In recent days, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, together with the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) declared a national health emergency in the Colombian aquaculture sector. The measure was implemented after detecting the presence of the bacterium ‘Streptococcus agalactiae ST7 Ia’ in tilapia cultures from Huila.
According to the portfolio, the presentation of the disease is characterized by signs such as erratic swimming, lesions on the skin, tail and fins, enlargement of the eyeball and death of the animals.
Likewise, this emergency brings various challenges and difficulties in the sector in economic and biological matters.
The Minister of Agriculture, Jhenifer Mojica, assured that this declaration allows the application of sanitary measures that are necessary in any part of the country, depending on the existing risk.
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“These are aimed at controlling and reducing fish mortality, as well as protecting national fish farming and guaranteeing the country’s food security”he stated.
However, the sector sees the task around this event as even more difficult. According to César Pinzón, president of the Colombian Federation of Aquaculturists (Fedeacua)fish production is being reduced by two aspects.
“In principle, due to the mortality of the fish and secondly, the recommendation is to lower the densities of the crops, placing fewer animals per square meter to be able to cultivate in a calmer way”explained the union leader.
On the other hand, one of the concerns of the sector are the losses derived from the disease that afflicts the animals. According to Pinzón, these are being very high in the Huila region. “In the Betania area, more or less 30% of production has been reduced.”
Producers add to the situation. Brian Botero, sales manager of Piscícola Botero, told Portafolio that the production of this sector will drop in the long termtaking into account that at this moment they are at maximum capacity to process the biomass of the Betania reservoir.
tilapia
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“We are already reporting to the relevant authorities, but the mortality has caused economic, food and time losses. We are in the process of planting again”Botero said.
However, according to Juan Fernando Roa, general manager in charge of the ICA, the entity has dealt with 29 cases in Huila, ten in Atlántico, three in Magdalena and one in Tolima.
“Mortality cases have occurred in all productive stages of tilapia: farming, fingerlings, rearing and fattening, with the following levels of affectation in each department: Tolima (10%), Huila (12%), Magdalena (37 %) and Atlantic (47%)”said Juan Fernando Roa.
Additionally, another different challenge is added to the health emergency, but this has to do with meteorological phenomena with the increase in temperatures.
César Pinzón, from Fedeacua, explained that around 50% of the production in cultivation water has been lost on the Caribbean Coastdue to the high temperatures that are occurring in the region.
“We do a survey of the losses in general and the last ones were close to $15,000 million. On the Caribbean Coast, more than 500 direct jobs are in danger due to this phenomenon and the great loss of tilapia is added, which amounts to about 1,000 tons”said Pinzon.
Likewise, the president of Fedeacua called on the Colombian population to consume tilapia, taking into account that part of the losses are derived from the drop in consumption. “We ask that you help the more than 36,000 fish farmers that exist in the country and that there is no problem in consuming because we have the same quality”.
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Based on Dane figures, analyzed by Procolombia, foreign trade in products derived from animal protein between January and April totaled US$64.6 millionpresenting an increase of 22.98% compared to the same period of 2022, which was US$52.5 million.
According to César Pinzón, the emergency so far has not affected exports, which according to his latest report have been growing by 7% compared to 2022.
“In that part we are fine. We are not growing as much as last year, but these are already factors that depend on the international market and not the local one”he concluded.
Juan Fernando Roa, general manager in charge of ICA, told Portafolio that the entity is implementing prevention and control actions that include: be attentive to notifications of unusual mortality and alteration of productive parametersstrengthening of biosecurity measures, review and approval for the importation of a specific serotype vaccine and a specialized diagnosis.
DIANA KATHERINE RODRIGUEZ TRIANA
Journalist Portfolio
