Due to lack of permits from Cofepris, 10,000 tons of octopus could be stagnant

Progreso, Yucatan, (August 24, 2021).- The president of Exportamar Yucatán AC, Enrique Sánchez Sánchez, stated that at least 10,000 tons of octopus would remain stagnant in the state, given the refusal of the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) to renew the permits and grant extensions to companies dedicated to the export of this species.

“Cofepris has not complied in a timely manner with the extension or certification times for export plants in the State of Yucatán. According to them they are in a timely manner, but unfortunately, they do not understand that we have fishing seasons with a short time of action; so if the business is not done in these times there is simply no way to do it later, ” he said.

“We are calculating that at least 10,000 tons cannot be shipped due to the same situation. And because it is a lot of product that could be wasted due to the lack of permits or extensions, which is the result of intransigence from COFEPRIS ” he stressed.

Enrique Sánchez indicated that if the export permits are not obtained, prices could fall in the next month since the season is practically already at 30 percent and if this situation continues there would be a stagnation in the catch.

“Well, right now the octopus goes more or less between 120 and 125 pesos per kilogram, and if there are no exports next month it might fall by 50 percent, it could go down to 60 pesos or less,” he said.

Octopus is the main product of the sea exported by the state of Yucatan, its market is in Europe, Asia and the United States.

In the current season that ends on December 15, a catch of between 18 thousand and 21 thousand tons is estimated.