June 28, 2011
Meat exports from Finland decreasing
Exports of Finnish meat have fallen by a third in two years, with exports to Russia decreasing by as much as 68% in 2010 from 2009.
Export bans and other control measures join the increase in Russia's own production in contributing to the decline, as well as the strong euro and overcapacity in Europe.
Jari Leija, executive vice president of food industry company HKScan, does not believe that exports of bulk meat to Russia will increase further, and that the direction the industry is taking is towards larger companies, as well as small local companies that specialise in certain products.
According to Leija, structural changes can be expected in the whole Finnish meat sector, as the amount of stored meat from Germany may correspond to the whole year's market in Finland.