May 28, 2007

Russia to inspect meat plants in Sweden

As Sweden aims to export meat to Russia amid reports of large scale illegal imports entering the country, Russian food-safety inspectors are to inspect Swedish meat plants following talks between between Sergei Dankvert, the head of the food safety authority, Rosselkhoznadzor, and Swedish ambassador to Russia Johan Molander.

The news of the inspection team's trip to Sweden, comes amid reports from Russia that more than 250,000 tonnes of illegal meat is entering the country each year.

The Swedish agriculture ministry deem some of the Eastern European countries are being used to smuggle meat which is believed to have come from China.

Other illegal shipments are also reported to be coming in from Africa and South America from plants that have not been passed by the strict Russian inspection regulations.