March 3, 2005

Russia lifts ban on Brazilian meat imports

Russia will lift its ban on meat imports from six Brazilian states on March 2 that are far from the places where foot-and-mouth disease has been registered in the country.

Meat imports have been allowed from the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana, Sao Paolo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais and Goias. Sergei Dankvert, head of the Federal Veterinary and Plant Sanitary Control Oversight Service, or Rosselkhoznadzor, told Interfax, ¡°these states have received certificates from the International Epizootic Bureau that they are free of foot-and-mouth disease from using vaccines. ¡°

Russia banned all meat imports from Brazil on September 20, 2004 due to foot-and-mouth concerns. The ban was lifted on poultry imports from all states on February 7, except for Para and Amazonas.

Brazil was in first place in beef and pork imports to Russia before the ban, according to the Agrarian Marketing Institute. It had a 35 percent share of beef imports and a 74 percent share of pork imports. Brazil was in second place in poultry imports at 26 percent after the United States with 60 percent.