September 27, 2008

 

Brazil hopes to increase pork exports to Russia  

 

 

The president of Brazil's pork Industry Association said Friday he hopes the country will increase pork exports to Russia by securing new trade agreements.

 

Abipecs, as the group is known, has been lobbying the Brazilian government to start talks with Russia to expand trade agreements that were signed in 2005.

 

"If the negotiations with Russia are successful, we hope that Brazil's pork exports will increase to about 300,000 tonnes from around 250,000 tonnes this year," Pedro de Camargo Neto said, without giving a timeframe.

 

Russia is Brazil's No. 1 customer for pork.

 

Brazil may also be helped by fraying trade relations between Moscow and Washington. Russia recently threatened to slash US import quotas for chicken and pork, both big export products to the region from the US.

 

However, Camargo admitted the Brazilian government is still studying the issue.

 

"The Brazilian government still hasn't confirmed whether they will lobby the Russians to change the agreement," he said.

 

Brazilian Chicken Exporters Association, or ABEF, has also said it contacted the government to open negotiations with their Russian counterparts over chicken exports.

 

In 2005, the US and Russia entered into an agreement that allowed US and EU producers of poultry, pork and beef to export a specified quantity of product to Russia at a lower-than-usual tariff. That agreement, which was extended through 2009, was a way for Russia to bolster its free-trade credentials ahead of WTO accession talks.

 

"We want a situation where whoever has the best price sells, but at the moment we just get the leftovers from the EU and US," said Camargo.