December 3, 2012
Russia decided to suspend its meat embargo on Brazilian meat during a bilateral meeting between both authorities in Moscow on November 30.
The two countries also agreed that every consignment of meat products sent to Russia would be accompanied by a declaration confirming the absence of the growth hormone,ractopamine. Rosselkhoznadzor warned that if ractopamine were found in any future shipments of meat from Brazil, it would consider placing a blanket ban on all meat imports from the country.
Restrictions on Brazilian meat imports were first imposed by Russia on June 2011, when inspectors identified violations of Russia's veterinary and sanitary rules at Brazilian plants. Since then, Brazil's veterinary authorities have carried out inspections and supervision of over 160 exporting establishments, sending audits and action plans to Rosselkhoznadzor and attending 10 separate meeting with Russian officials.
Between August 2011 and 2012, 26 exporters in other Brazilian states were granted approval to resume exports of beef, pork and poultry to Russia, but the ban has remained in place for 85 exporting companies in MatoGrosso, Parana, Rio and Granda do Sul until now.
Despite the restrictions, Brazilian exports remained steady between January and October this year, reaching a total of US$12.981billion, compared to US$12.965billion the year before. However, Brazil's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Mendes RibeiroFilho, said that resumption of exports to Russia from the three states would be very beneficial for the Brazilian meat sector.
In addition to a return to normal trade with Russia, Brazil is hoping that pork exports to Japan will resume next year. The country has been in negotiation with Japan for five years, and Japanese authorities recently agreed to allow imports from the FMD-free state of Santa Catarina.
