Friday 10 October 2014

‘Non-Sanctioned’ Countries Rush To Meet Demand In Russian Food Market

Russia is dramatically enlarging imports from third countries following the ban on food from the United States, Canada, the European Union, Norway and Australia. Turkey is providing poultry and fish, Switzerland is delivering dairy products, and Uruguay is supplying fish, and a lot of it.

Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) head Sergei Dankvert made a statement to that effect to Interfax, referring to the September data from the Argus automated system recording deliveries.

According to him, Brazil delivered 39,000 tonnes of beef in September of this year compared to 28,000 tonnes in September 2013, Argentina - 3,500 tonnes as against 1,000, and Uruguay - 2,600 tonnes as against 1,500.

In total, beef imports grew from 52,400 tonnes to 91,000 tonnes year-on-year in September 2014.

Pork exports to Russia have grown year-on-year from 12,500 tonnes to 15,600 tonnes from Brazil and from 1,800 tonnes to 3,000 tonnes from Chile. There has been a surge in pork imports from Serbia, from 43 tonnes in September 2013 to 1,870 tonnes this September.

The St. Petersburg and Leningrad region territorial department reported a growth in meat and meat product imports from Latin America. For instance, Brazil has increased meat exports from 40,800 tonnes

Additionally, fish imports have from Turkey (157 tonnes) and Uruguay (54 tonnes) begun.

In all, the department recorded the delivery of 49,700 tonnes of fish in September of this year compared to 57,800 tonnes last September.

A decline in fruit and vegetable imports has been insignificant, from 173,700 tonnes in September 2013 to 172,400 tonnes in September 2014.

In Dankvert's opinion, the indicators show that the persistent efforts of re-orientation towards new suppliers have brought results. "You can see by these digits that many countries are eager to come to our market and fill the vacant niches," he said.

Russia banned imports of meat and meat products, fish and fish products, milk and dairy products, and fruit and vegetables from the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada and Norway on August 7 in retaliation for the sanctions imposed by those countries on Russia over the events in Ukraine.

Russia Insider

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