January 6, 2008

Russia and US double pork import quotas

Russia and the US have confirmed import quota negotiations for pork, doubling it from 50,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes this year.

The quota is part of the five-year bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.

A US trade representative said there are also protections that should limit disruptions to trade and the amended agreement provides more certainty on Russia's import quotas, and its tariffs for poultry and other meat during 2009.

The US and Russian governments have also agreed to address a number of plant inspection issues.

Russia’s Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Services (VPSS) has indicated it will conduct meat and poultry plant audits as early as February, but the US government said that this should not be done without further agreement on inspection protocol, noting that the previous protocol still remains in effect.

Russia is the fourth largest market for US pork and exports of pork to Russia reached US$191 million in 2007.