September 17, 2009
Russia meat firms looking to export to EU
Meat companies in Russia are currently considering the possibility of starting exports to the lucrative European market.
Currently, no Russian meat companies have permission to export meat products to the EU. But meat processing firms Petelinka and Concordia may become the first Russian exporters of red meat and poultry products to the EU.
A team from the European Commission is scheduled to review Russia's meat processing companies for compliance with the European standards of quality, said Alexei Alexeyenko, press secretary of Russia's Federal Service of Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance.
The final decision will be taken in January 2010, said Alberto Volpato, the European Commission adviser in Russia.
The EU plans to inspect eight Russian meat processing companies located in Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Moscow region and Siberia, said Alexeyenko.
