May 25, 2009

Russia is set to increase pork production at least 200,000 tonnes a year through 2012, according to the Russian Federation first prime minister Viktor Zubkov on Friday (May 22).

Zubkov said that this would lead to complete import substitution in the domestic pork market.

He said that it is necessary to create a chain of large regional selection genetic centres for an efficient development in hog breeding.

He said that construction of state-of-the-art slaughtering plants, capable to meet at least 60 percent of domestic processors' demand for block meat, will favour solving many problems.

At present, this rate does not exceed 3 percent, and import pork in blocks totals to 95 percent.

Zubkov pointed out that the Agriculture Ministry currently has been elaborating a special programme on hog breeding development.

He reported that implementation and re-equipment of about 250 hog complexes and farms for the previous two years afforded to increase pork production almost by 0.5 million tonnes.

According to his forecast, the current year pork production would total to 200, 000 tonnes in the Russian Federation.