November 17, 2009

Ukraine may restrict EU meat imports

Ukraine may restrict meat imports from the EU through the implementation of policies, according to local media reports.

Restriction will be realised through the tightening of veterinary requirements for meat and meat products supplied from the EU, as well as the implementation of pork and poultry import quotas starting December 1 this year.

Ukraine's meat production is on a steady decline due to large amounts of low quality meat imports, especially pork and poultry.

Many local meat producers find it difficult to compete with foreigner producers, whose exports are subsidised, and also due to a non-tariff protection of the European meat market in contrast to the Ukrainian meat market.

Ukrainian authorities said they will monitor all foreign companies for compliance with local veterinary standards and have already banned imports from nine foreign meat processing plants, mainly from Europe.