June 7, 2021

Russia has potential to become more prominent player in meat output and exports, says Cherkizovo CEO

Russia has all necessary resources to become a more prominent player in meat output and exports, said Sergey Mikhailov, chief executive officer of Cherkizovo Group, during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in the country.

According to Mikhailov, only a few years ago, Russia was one of the largest meat importers, but the situation has changed dramatically.

"Today, Russia is self-sufficient in terms of meat production and it has begun exporting meat. So far, the volumes are modest but they grow at an impressive pace. I think, that is a good sign," said Mikhailov. He believes that Russia has all the features to become a successful exporter – from convenient location to good feed resources.

Mikhailov also pointed out that despite the country's abundant land resources, its livestock and poultry numbers are several times lower than those of the United States, Brazil and China.

Russia's current annual meat production amounts to 11.5 million tonnes (3% of global output), and Mikhailov expects it to nearly double in future.

Sergey Levin, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, noted the country's significant contribution to global food security. Russia fully covers its domestic needs for key food categories, which enables export expansion. According to Levin, Russian exports have climbed by nearly 90% (or over US$14 billion) over the past six years, making Russia the fastest-growing food exporter.

Russian Ministry of Agriculture expects grain, vegetable oils, fish and seafood, meat, dairy products and confectionary to be the main drivers of future export growth.

The key markets for Russia's exports ramp-up are China, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa and former Soviet Union countries.

- Cherkizovo