September 28, 2011

Russia removes ban on Lithuania's pork imports

The ban on pork and pork product imports from Lithuania was lifted by Russia on Tuesday (Sep 27) as confirmed by the head of Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service.

Jonas Milius said that starting September 27, Russia allows Lithuania to export pork and pork products, except from the county of Kaunas, where the outbreak of swine fever occurred.

He added that Lithuania continues talks with Russia to resume the export of live pigs to that country.

Lithuanian pork and pork product exports to Russia were halted in mid-July. A ban on live pig imports into Russia was imposed on June 1.

Lithuania exported 105,000 pigs to Russia this year. The country's live pig exports to Russia almost halved last year compared with 2009 to 282,000 head.

Lithuania exported no pigs to the EU and Russia in June-August. According to media reports, the ban on exports to Russia cost pig growers some LTL4-5 million (US$1.58-1.97 million) in lost revenues per month.

An outbreak of classical swine fever was detected on a farm in the district of Jonava and later the disease spread into several other pig complexes in the central part of the country. About 40,000 pigs were slaughtered in Lithuania due to the infection.