October 4, 2006

 

Russia's January-September meat output up 4 percent on-year

 

 

Russia's meat production increased 4 percent on the year in January-September, the Prime-Tass news agency reported Tuesday (Oct 3), citing Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev.

 

An absolute figure was not provided.

 

The Federal State Statistics Service earlier reported Russia's meat output stood at around 4.2 million tonnes in live weight in January-August, up 4 percent on the year.

 

"The best results have been achieved by farmers of Belgorod and Lipetsk (Central Russia), where meat output was up 30 percent and 20 percent respectively," Gordeyev said.

 

The minister said milk output this year would be steady against the 2005 level.

 

"Within five years Russia might become a big food exporter," Gordeyev said, adding planned cuts in European Union agricultural subsidies would facilitate the process.

 

Although the rise in meat output remains modest, Russia has been posting higher production steadily since the start of the year in contrast to the previous two years, when declines were registered.

 

In 2005, Russia's meat production was down 2.7 percent on the year to around 7.6 million tonnes, due to a declining number of cattle and pigs. An increase in poultry meat production couldn't offset these declines.

 

Since the start of this year, the number of pigs started to increase. As of Sep 1 there were 15.8 million pigs, up 7.1 percent on the year.

 

Profitability of Russia's livestock sector was hit in 2004 by high grain and feed prices. Grain and feed prices have remained relatively high since then, but hikes in meat prices in late 2005 and early 2006 made the sector profitable again.