December 20, 2006

Russia issues poultry import permits to exporting countries

Russia has started issuing meat and poultry import permits for 2007 this week.

Russia is issuing import permits to countries whose veterinarian services guarantee safe supplies, service Federal Veterinarian and Phytosanitary Control Service head, Sergey Dankvert said.

He listed Latin American countries among suppliers but did not elaborate on whether EU exporters would be included.

Russia is currently having a trade row with the EU over apparent safety concerns of European meat when Bulgaria and Romania joins the EU next year.

Dankvert said Russia is expected to import 28,300 tonnes of fresh and refrigerated beef, 440,000 tonnes of frozen beef, 484,800 tonnes of pork, and 1.17 million tonnes of poultry in 2007.