January 22, 2007

Russia lifts restrictions on German pork and poultry
 

Russia will now allow imports of poultry and pork from all German provinces after lifting a ban imposed last year on products from several regions.

Russia's food safety agency RosSelkhozNadzor said in a statement Russia would accept all German poultry and pork products as it was satisfied there was no longer a threat of classical swine fever and bird flu.

Russia's six-month long ban had been imposed on several German states hit by animal diseases.

The decision was not directly connected to separate talks between Russia and the European Union on meat imports, the agency said.

Germany was the largest EU supplier of pork to Russia in 2005, shipping products worth 84.5 million euros (US$109.5 million).

It also supplied 38.1 million euros' (US$49.38 million) worth of poultry meat to Russia in 2005, slightly less than France.