June 15, 2011

Russia likely to remove Brazilian meat export ban

Although the Russian prohibition on Brazilian beef, pork and poultry has halted exports from 85 processors in three Brazilian states, it should be resolved by the end of July, according to Brazil's Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Alessandro Teixeira.

"We are trying to solve this. It is not the first time this has happened with Russia, and it will not be the last," Teixeira said, reaffirming that the ban was motivated by sanitation concerns. "The Russian inspectors have not liked what they saw. I just hope that next month it is all resolved," he said, adding that the Russian embargo has not completely suspended all imports of Brazilian meat to the country.

Teixeira attended a meeting with Brazilian meat exporters earlier this week in Rio de Janeiro, sponsored by the Association for Foreign Trade of Brazil. "There are several elements we have had to consider," Teixeira said. "In some they are right, and others they are not."

Teixeira reiterated that the reasons for the Russian ban were technical in nature, and that all recommendations from the Russian inspection agency are being followed by Brazilian processors trying to regain approval.