October 29, 2009
Russia's beef production down 2.6 percent in Jan-Sept
Beef production in Russia during the first nine months of 2009 dropped 2.6 percent on-year.
Despite the overall growth in livestock and poultry meat production, the situation in the production cattle meat remains difficult, said Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik.
During the first nine months of this year, cattle and poultry breeding for slaughter totalled 6.3 million tonnes, up seven percent on-year, she said.
The increase was mainly due to the 13-percent rise and 10-percent increase in the production of poultry meat and pork, respectively.
Cattle and poultry production in the third quarter of this year increased in 66 regions of Russia and decreased in 14 regions.
According to the Agriculture Ministry's forecast, the share of meat import in the Russia's meat resources this year will drop to 25 percent from 32 percent in 2008, Skrynnik said.
The main goal now is to reduce meat import by increasing domestic production, she said.
