RUSSIA.

PORK QUOTA.

Muriel Elizabeth Hayes

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Nov 12, 2008

Following on the heels of the announcement on Saturday, that Russia is cutting the poultry quota by 300,000 tons, it appears now that the pork quota is also going to be cut.

A report in the Moscow Times, confirmed this, quoting Prime Minister Zubcov, said “ the Russian government is looking to cut quota’s for imports of pork, but has not determined how large a cut is needed”.

The majority of the poultry imports, have been supplied by the USA, in recent times, however the chilly relations between the two countries, are doing nothing to encourage further promotion of this trade.

The United States exported 872,000 tons of poultry to Russia this year, out of a 1.2 million ton quota.

Brazil is knocking on the door, to try and get a share of this valuable business.

Source:

Muriel Elizabeth Hayes

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation: Negotiations on US Poultry and Pork Imports to Russia Will Be Terminated by End of November 2008

MeatRussia

11 november 2008

The negotiations on US poultry and pork imports to Russia will be terminated by the end of November 2008, as Maksim Medvedkov, the Director of the Trade Negotiation Department of the Ministry of Economic Development, reported during “open dialogue” with business representatives. He pointed out that consultations were continued, and the next round would take place on the next week. He also said that “there are some issues that shall be discussed and resolved with other countries as well”. However, “there are less problems in relation to agreements with other countries”, - М. Medvedkov specified.

meatrussia.com

Russia Cutting Poultry Imports, Eyeing Pork

By Pork news staff | Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Pork Magazine

Russia's export officials say the country will cut its poultry import quotas by another 100,000 metric tons in 2009. That would bring the total cut to 300,000 tons, reports The Moscow Times.

Most of Russia's poultry imports come from the United States. In 2008, 870,000 metric tons of U.S. poultry headed for Russian markets. That amount made up most of the country's designated 1.2 million-metric-ton quota.

"We already reached an agreement with American producers to cut [the quotas] by 200,000 tons, but the state considers this insufficient," says Viktor Zubkov, Russia's first deputy prime minister. "In this way we will give Russian producers the ability to increase their production by approximately the same amount in 2009."

The Russian Agriculture Ministry had elected to limit its 2009 poultry import quotas as of September. That announcement included the 200,000-ton cut, which is 17 percent of Russia's import volume.

Zubkof also points to pork as another product that could face possible cuts. He notes that while the Russian government wants to reduce pork-import quotas, it has not yet determined how much it might cut.

Whether poultry or pork, whatever product doesn't arrive in Russia will need to find another home, and that could include placing more product on the U.S. market, thereby increasing competition within the poultry and meat sector.

porkmag.com