Russia may hike pork import tariffs 

 

 

The Ministry of Agriculture in Russia plans to protect the domestic pork market against growing volume of imports of live pigs and pork offal by hiking its import duties, according to Russian media reports.

 

Currently, the import of live pigs in Russia is taxed at a rate of 15 percent of customs value, whereas extra-quota pork is at 75 percent. According to experts, this is used by unscrupulous suppliers, importing into Russia live pigs for slaughter at local capacities.

 

Russian meat producers believe that it is necessary to make import duties on non breeding pigs the same as on extra-quota meat – 75 percent of customs value.

 

According to official data, pork imports to Russia in 2008 amounted to 700-800 thousand tonnes. However, according to international experts, Russia imported 1.05 million tonnes.

 

Ostankino Mikhail Popov, director general of one of the largest meat processing plants in Russia said importing live pigs is stimulating production in other countries but not in Russia.

 

In addition, the importation of live pigs in such numbers is also a huge health and veterinary issue.