April 27, 2011

Ukraine introduces poultry, lard imports licensing

The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has introduced licensing of poultry and lard import as per governmental resolution No.420 dated April 11.

Import of fresh, chilled or frozen meat and edible by-products of poultry is subject to licensing, the government resolution reads.

Import of fat free lean, pork fat and poultry fat shall also be licensed, according to the government resolution. The licences will be issued in coordination with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.

According to the State Veterinary and Phytosanitary Service, the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry's introducing the licensing aims at enhancing control over imports of meat estimated at US$400 million a year. The licensing will make meat imports more predictable.

"We will be able to closely follow the countries of origin of meat that this will trim poor-quality meat imports," Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk said.

The cost of license will be UAH780 (US$97.82) a year. The licensing does not represent a restricting measure.

Earlier in January 2011, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine initiated licensing of meat import in 2011.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food projects a rise in meat production by 2.4% - 3.4% to 2.1 million tonnes and reduction of its import in 2011.

Licensing of meat import was abolished in June 2009.