Restrictions on pork imports may hurt EU-Russia trade relations

 

 

Russia's increase on pork import restrictions may severely hurt EU-Russia relations in the meat trade, and will become a cause of record losses of leading European pork producers such as Danish Crown and Toennies Fleisch, according to Russian analysts.

 

Russia continues to implement its policy of meat import restrictions, as Moscow hopes to increase the level of domestic production as quickly as possible. But the restrictions were not looked upon with favour by some European meat producers, as Russia was one of the largest pork markets in the world. 

 

Until recently, EU pork accounted for 45 percent of Russia's total pork imports, and the new restrictions could significantly cut away that share.

 

Danish Crown and Toennies Fleisch account for about 20 percent of the total EU pork exports to Russia, or six percent of the Russian pork imports. Analysts said the new restrictions may force the two companies to seek alternative markets for their pork products in the very near future.