Russia may reopen to US poultry

Russia could reopen its market to US poultry if both countries can build on the remarkable progress during talks in Moscow this month, according to Russia's key negotiator in the dispute.

"American chicken has a chance of returning to the Russian market. Conditions will be mutually satisfactory," Gennady Onishchenko, head of Russian consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told a news conference.

Russia, the biggest export market for US poultry, banned supplies from January 19 after saying a chlorine wash used routinely in US processing plants was in violation of its food safety standards.

With reference to the current negotiations, Onishchenko said that progress is evident and stunning. He declined to say if Washington had agreed to stop using chlorine in poultry processing, or to give any more details, saying that both sides had agreed not to disclose them.

The Russian ban has obstructed exports from major US producers such as Tyson Foods and Sanderson Farms.

The USDA said on March 5 the second round of talks was constructive, and that technical discussions would continue in the next few weeks.