November 5, 2010

US agriculture minister pledges beef prices to go lower

Georgia's beef prices have been artificially hiked on the consumer market, said the state's Agriculture minister, Bakur Kvezereli, on November 4.

As reported, the last period has recorded a twenty to twenty 5% rise in beef prices. The sector representatives note the toughened control has resulted in growth in beef prices.

Kvezereli pointed out the administering has been really toughened against beef sellers.

"Under the tightened regulations, they are requested to keep a quality certificate. Consequently, they will have to buy beef at slaughterhouses and this does not surge the beef price", Kvezereli said.

Kvezereli noted about 70 entrepreneurs have tried to make a profit of the situation. The Minister called them as an unnecessary ring and pledged the beef price to return to the previous benchmark.

The Georgian Agriculture Ministry said that starting December 1 the state control over beef products will be tightened. Consequently, stores and fairs are requested to submit F2 certificates to the food safety office inspectors, otherwise, fines will be imposed on them. F2 is a document proving the cattle is healthy and it is issued by specialized slaughterhouses.

At this stage, there are four slaughterhouses in Georgia. Currently, state control will be tightened only on beef products, while the same control mechanisms will be imposed on sheep meat and pork exports too.