It's the same the whole world over: One country's avian flu is another country's economic opportunity. India/Bangladesh, China/Vietnam, and now the US and Mexico. Via KHOU.com: Mexican citizens attempt to illegally bring eggs across the border as prices spike. Excerpt:
An outbreak of bird flu in western Mexico has caused the price of eggs and chicken to spike and now health inspectors are on the lookout for shoppers who cross the border to buy lower cost eggs and poultry in the U.S.
Mexico has vaccinated 80,000 chickens to prevent the spread of the disease and destroyed 8 million chickens infected with the virus in the state of Jalisco.
The price of eggs has topped three dollars a dozen eggs in some parts of Mexico.
"I buy whatever is cheaper on the other side, "said Guadalupe Rodriguez, referring to Texas. The mother of two lives in Ciudad Juarez but routinely shops in El Paso.
She said she was not aware eggs from the U.S. are not allowed in Mexico until a health inspector at the border seized 36 eggs in two large cartons from her grocery bags.
On the border, people routinely cross back and forth to get the best prices. In this case, comparison shopping means buying food in another country.
Both Mexico and the U.S. ban some items to prevent the spread of animal or plant diseases. Neither country allows eggs from the other across the border.
"It’s more common for people to cross with eggs from the U.S. since the price is so much cheaper," said Victor Arce, a health inspector.
