Russian ban on US turkey will be long-term
The recently entered ban on US turkey meat imports on concerns about the use of ractopamine will be long term, Russian officials claim.
Gennady Onishchenko, head of Russia’s consumer safety agency, was quoted as saying the ban on “practically all US meat and meat products will be long term”. The ban, which started February 11, includes turkey meat and value-added products. In a statement that was posted to Russia’s phytosanitary and veterinary agency web site, poultry groups responded to the ban saying US poultry producers comply with Russia’s requirements.
“In response to recent press publications the National Turkey Federation and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council informed their trade partners that American turkey producing plants approved for export to Russia don’t use ractopamine neither in feeds nor in the manufacturing process whereas the Codex Alimentarius Commission determined ractopamine safety,” the National Turkey Federation said in a statement in response to the ban. “All turkey meat and chicken broilers supplied from plants approved for export to the Russian Federation fully comply with Russia official veterinary and sanitary requirements. Food safety is an overall priority for the USA turkey industry and its products are the essential nutrient source for consumers all over the world”.
Meanwhile Russian officials have implemented tough laboratory control on poultry imports from US. According to official reports, if during the laboratory studies ractopamine will be found in the shipment, poultry will be immediately banned.
