Border restrictions linked to flesh-eating screwworm outbreak push Mexico to expand processed beef exports while livestock losses mount across the cattle industry
MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s meat industry is seeking to sharply increase beef exports to the United States as authorities continue battling a major screwworm outbreak that has severely disrupted cross-border livestock trade and inflicted heavy financial losses on the country’s cattle sector.
Industry officials say the strategy aims to offset the economic impact of prolonged restrictions on live cattle exports after the United States tightened border controls in response to the spread of the flesh-eating screwworm parasite.
According to representatives of the Mexican Meat Chamber, beef exports to the U.S. rose approximately 23% during the first four months of the year, driven largely by shipments of fresh processed meat. Industry leaders now hope exports could double next year if processing capacity and trade demand continue to expand.
“We’ve increased it… if it can be doubled, that would be excellent,” said Macarena Hernández, general director of the Mexican Meat Chamber, while speaking at an industry event.
The ongoing outbreak has fundamentally reshaped Mexico’s livestock supply chain. Ranchers who traditionally exported live cattle to the United States are now being forced to keep, feed, and process animals domestically for beef production — a far more expensive and time-consuming process that can take up to 18 months.
Industry groups estimate that the disruption has already caused losses of roughly $1.8 billion to Mexico’s livestock sector.
The screwworm outbreak has become one of the most significant veterinary and agricultural challenges facing the region. The parasite, which feeds on living tissue, poses serious risks to cattle, livestock, pets, wildlife, and in rare cases humans. Authorities say the outbreak spread northward from Central America, alarming veterinary and agricultural officials in both Mexico and the United States.
Government figures show Mexico has recorded more than 25,000 screwworm cases since November 2024, with over 1,100 active infections still under monitoring as of mid-May 2026.
While the southern state of Chiapas has reported the highest overall number of infections, authorities say active outbreaks are increasingly concentrated in Veracruz and Puebla. Veterinary surveillance has also detected rising infections in dogs, including a confirmed canine case in Mexico City earlier this year.
To contain the outbreak, Mexican authorities — in coordination with U.S. agencies — have intensified sterile fly release programs across northern Mexican states including Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and San Luis Potosí, as well as buffer zones south of Texas. The technique involves releasing sterilized male flies to suppress screwworm reproduction and slow the spread of the parasite.
A major component of Mexico’s containment strategy is a new sterile fly production facility under construction in Metapa, Chiapas. Officials say the plant is approximately 75% complete and is expected to begin operations by the end of June.
Agriculture experts warn that prolonged livestock disease outbreaks can significantly disrupt regional meat markets, food supply chains, export revenues, and animal health systems, particularly in countries heavily dependent on cross-border cattle trade. The situation also highlights growing concerns about transboundary animal diseases and the economic vulnerability of livestock industries facing large-scale biosecurity threats.
