December 21, 2009

Increased QC lowers Ukraine's 2009 red meat imports

Ukraine will buy a maximum of 400,000 tonnes of red meat this year, down 130,000 tonnes from 2008.

The reduction of imports is due to the lower issuance of import permits, said Pyotr Verbitsky, Head of the Ukrainian State Committee of Veterinary Medicine.

The government's decision to issue less import permits helped restrain imports, said Verbitsky.

The reduction of imports was also attributed to recent improvements in the Ukrainian veterinary system, which will prevent low quality imports from entering the country.

Verbitsky said they have introduced an advanced control on high risk products such as byproducts and offal.

Through such audits, the government has closed 16 companies in Ukraine due to their numerous violations. During inspections, more than 1,700 tonnes of low quality meat products and 4,600 tonnes of products were seized at meat processing plants and markets.

Earlier forecasts had estimated Ukraine's red meat imports to reach 280,000 tonnes, nearly twice as lower than in 2008.