December 10, 2004

Meat Production in Russia Projected to Increase

Beef imports to Russia fell by more than seven per cent in the first nine months of the year, according to reports from the Russian news service A&G News.

Imports of pork fell by 25 percent and poultry imports dropped by 19 percent compared with the same period of the last year. The Russian Agriculture ministry said that the regime of quotas on imports of meat, introduced in 2003 was having a positive influence on the Russian meat market.

The ministry said that according to first estimates, production of meat this year would remain at the level of 2003 at 7.7 million metric tons. Poultry meat sales are expected to increase by 15 percent this year in Russia.