Russia struggles with self-sufficiency in pork

The rate at which Russia is cutting imports of pork is faster than that country is upping production in its quest for self-sufficiency, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said.

An attaché report posted late last week said Russian pork production in 2010 will increase only 1.1% to 2.225 million tonnes while imports will drop 4.1% to 810,000 tonnes.

"Attaining self-sufficiency through import substitution is the goal of the Russian Federation, but pork production failed to offset the reduced quota in 2009, driving prices slightly higher and consumption lower," according to reports.

In February, Russia established a goal to reach 85% self-sufficiency in total meat and poultry production by 2020 but accelerated plans to achieve this goal within three to five years. Steep cuts have been made particularly in imports of pork and poultry.

FAS researchers said meat and poultry prices in Russia began to stabilise in 2009, but "they remain fragile" in 2010 as supplies hinge largely on the outcome of the country's ban on imports of poultry treated with chlorine and meeting the government's production targets.