July 6, 2011

Brazil quickens removal of Russian meat prohibition

Pressure from meat processors to attempt and quicken the termination of a Russian embargo on Brazilian meat exports has caused the government to lessen the figure of processors allowed to export to Russia from 210 to 140, according to the media.

The Russian embargo on meat imports from 85 Brazilian processing plants has been in effect since June 15.

Brazil's Minister of Agriculture Wagner Rossi announced last week that a group of government officials and industry representatives would visit Moscow this week to offer technical explanations to Russia's czar for food sanitation. Among its changes, Brazil has removed unsuitable plants from the Russian export list, and will demand Russia accept the compliance of the other plants.

Rossi said that President Dilma Rousseff has authorised an immediate total overhaul of Brazil's agricultural laboratory network to bring all sites up to international technological standards. The network is essential to support the national database of food residues and contaminants, which are keys to certifying agricultural products that are exported.

If necessary, the Agricultural Ministry will also hire private laboratories on the national and international level to meet technical requirements for Brazilian meat exporters.

Arrangements to meet Russian demands, which include tests for the presence of radioactive elements like caesium and strontium in Brazilian meat, were made in June during a G-20 meeting of agricultural ministers in Paris. Rossi said he made a personal agreement with his Russian counterpart to resolve the matter in Moscow.