November 18, 2010

Russia to decrease poultry import quotas

Russia will cut its quota for poultry meat imports in 2011 to boost local production while keeping quotas for imports of beef and pork unchanged, according to the head of Russia's Meat Union.

The quota for poultry imports may be slashed to 400,000 tonnes with around 70% of that coming from the US, said Musheg Mamikonyan, who leads the meat producers' lobby group.

The US shipped 733,000 tonnes of poultry meat to Russia in 2009. The US quota for 2010 was set at 600,000 tonnes, although Russia allowed other suppliers to use a quarter of it.

Quotas for beef and pork imports will be kept at levels earlier announced by the Economy Ministry, Mamikonyan added.

Citing Meat Union estimates, he said that local production of poultry will grow 13% this year to reach 2.9 million tonnes and will add 10% more in 2011.

Pork production is seen growing at 8-9% in 2010 and at 10% next year, Mamikonyan said.

Russia could become self-sufficient in poultry meat and pork before 2013, according to the head of the country's top meat producer Cherkizovo.

Earlier this year, Russian authorities said the country should also focus on exporting meat itself, aiming to sell US$1.5 billion-US$2.0 billion worth of poultry meat and pork by 2020.