Russia lifts ban on Irish pork imports

Russia has lifted a ban, effective February 1, on imports of pork from the remaining 16 Irish plants out of the 25 originally forbidden from supplying to Russia.

Russian animal and plant health watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor did not give a reason for lifting the ban imposed on Irish pork in December 2008 suspecting imported meat could contain cancerogenic dioxins. Russia lifted the ban from nine Irish plants in May 2009.

Ireland may export pork to Russia at a discount tariff within a quota of 225,000 tonnes issued to the EU for 2010.

Earlier in December 2008, millions of euros worth of pork products were pulled from shelves and butchers in Ireland and were recalled from more than 20 countries worldwide, after routine tests showed an unacceptably high level of dioxins in meat on a small number of farms.