A. M. 
The Government of El Salvador and the Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA) laid the first stone of the Centro Logístico de Bioseguridad Aeroportuaria, located near the Aeropuerto Internacional San Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez in San Luis Talpa. This project, the only one of its kind in Central America and the Caribbean, represents a crucial step forward in agricultural protection by preventing the entry of pests and diseases through the growing flow of international air traffic.
With an investment of more than US$5 million, the center will include specialized areas such as facilities for 16 canine units, a veterinary clinic, an odor laboratory, and spaces for training new detection canines. It will also include administrative offices for the Servicio Nacional de Cuarentena Agropecuaria, ensuring effective surveillance of baggage, cargo, and parcels entering the country.
One of the most innovative components of the center will be its high-tech equipment for sterilizing international solid waste. This measure will reduce risks associated with organic waste from airplanes coming from countries with pests and diseases not present in El Salvador.
Raúl Rodas, executive director of OIRSA, emphasized that the handling of 100% of international waste and quarantine seizures will strengthen the airport’s inspection capabilities, contributing to the protection of El Salvador’s agricultural heritage.
For the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG), the center will be key to maintaining the country’s phytosanitary and zoosanitary status. This will ensure confidence in current international markets and open up new trade opportunities, positioning El Salvador as a regional benchmark in airport biosecurity.
The initiative also seeks to prevent the entry of quarantine diseases such as African Swine Fever, present in the Dominican Republic, and Tropical Fusarium Race 4 wilt, which affects banana crops in Colombia. This effort reaffirms El Salvador’s commitment to agricultural security and biosecure international trade.
