The policies aim to strengthen the supply of chicken and egg for both the domestic market and export, the chief director of the National Service of Health, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA), Enrique Sanchez Cruz, said during a meeting with poultry farmers in the Yucatan Peninsula.

During the meeting the official from Mexico's agriculture secretariat SAGARPA stressed that the national poultry industry has learned to do things differently, and the proof is that it has already exported eggs to the US.

At the meeting, the National Health Programme 2015-2018 and poultry production plan was presented.

These plans aim to eradicate highly pathogenic avian influenza and promote change in Mexico's regions. Such change would involve strictly implementing biosecurity measures and promoting the decentralisation of poultry farms (i.e. to situate farms between 10 and 15 kilometres away from the production units).

Mr Sanchez Cruz reiterated that avian influenza is found naturally in wild birds worldwide and can infect migrating birds, which is why epidemiological surveillance, biosecurity on farms and timely reporting of symptoms is essential to protect domestic poultry from the disease.

The Director General of Animal Health of SENASICA, Joaquín Delgadillo Alvarez stressed that the control of movement of birds and excreta, as well as heat treatment and disinfection of vehicles at checkpoints have been key tools to prevent the spread of disease.