September 28, 2009
Russia won't suffer from meat crisis
Lower meat imports resulted from reduced import quotas and higher duties will not lead to a meat deficit in Russia, said Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik.
Skrynnik had expected the share of imported meat in Russia to drop to 25 percent in 2009 and 18 percent in 2012 from 32 percent last year.
The construction of new pig and poultry breeding complexes is expected to produce an additional 500,000-550,000 tonnes of meat by the end of 2009, she said.
In the first half of this year, Russian meat output increased 225,000 tonnes, she said.
Skrynnik also said Russia had taken a series of measures to stabilise the domestic dairy market. The measures will allow raising of milk purchasing prices by 10-15 percent in Oct-Nov, while local milk production fell only 0.5 percent in Jan-Jun, the minister said.
Skrynnik also pledged a stronger support for milk producers in 2010. The government plans to purchase ultra-pasteurised milk on the market in mid-2010, and the ministry has submitted a draft ruling to the government allowing interventions on the dairy market, she said.
