Russia may increase US poultry imports
Russian veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor this week began an investigation into how much interest there is among livestock and poultry producers in the United States in exporting their products to the countries of the Customs Union, according to the report by the department.
Before December 20, they will check 16 poultry producing enterprises, including several companies dealing in turkey meat production.
Russia ranks second after Mexico as the largest buyer of US chicken. However, in 2013 Russian import opportunities decreased substantially.
Thus, Russia’s poultry imports fell by over 10% in January-October, according to the data released by the federal customs service.
The service said Russia’s poultry imports in January-October totaled 403,500 metric tonnes, 10.4% less than in the corresponding period last year.
Earlier US turkey imports to Russia were banned because Rosselhoznadzor suspected American manufacturers of using the muscle growth stimulator, ractopamine, which is strictly prohibited in the countries of the Custom Union.
However, the press secretary of Rosselkhoznadzor Alexei Alexeenko said, at the beginning of November, that most likely imports of US turkey meat will be resumed by the end of this year.
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