Russia: Structure of poultry imports is changing

The key importers of poultry meat to Russia will remain the same in 2012, but their share in the Russian market will change significantly, according to analytical agency estimates.

In particular the share of imported poultry from Brazil and Germany will decrease in return for an the increase of the supply from the United States and France, according analytical center Furazh. US and French producers have tended to keep their export prices to attract Russian importers.

According to expert forecasts, the share of European and North American poultry imports to Russia will reach 45% in 2012 vs. 34% in 2010, while the Brazilian share may remain at 35%, although some experts predict that it will fall to 25 -27%. The rest will be imported from Eastern Europe and other countries of the former USSR.

Russian federal static service (Rosstat) has reported that Russia can not increase exports of poultry meat, despite the plans of the government. The volume of poultry exports in January-April of this year amounted only to 5,900 tonnes. Last year during the same period, Russia had exported 9% more poultry abroad. The predicted rapid growth of exports did not eventuate. The main export destinations remained Hong Kong with 3,600 tonnes, Vietnam, 1,900 tonnes and Kyrgyzstan, 770 tonnes.

At the beginning of the year Russian Government announced plans to export 100,000 tonnes of poultry meat by mid-year. In the most pessimistic forecasts this figure should be 50 thousand tonnes. However, according to Russian first deputy prime minister, Viktor Zubkov, Russia should export 250,000 tonnes of poultry in 2012.