Russia | U.S. Increases Beef Exports To Russia, Dominates Liver Market | In t...

Russia

U.S. Increases Beef Exports To Russia,
Dominates Liver Market

In the first eight months of 2002, the United States exported 50,026 mt of beef (including variety meats) to Russia, an increase of 26 percent over the same period in 2001. Of the total tonnage, 46,156 mt were beef variety meats, reflecting the importance of Russia as a market for U.S. beef livers; 83 percent of all frozen beef livers imported to Russia in this period were of U.S. origin. The U.S. sold 17.2 percent of all its beef variety meat exports to Russia. U.S. exports of beef livers soared 66 percent in 2002 (Jan.-Aug) compared to 2001.

Overall, Russia imported 30.4 percent more beef from all sources (678,400 mt) compared to the first eight months of 2002. Beef imports came mostly (88.8 percent) from outside other former Soviet Union Countries.

Russia imported 0.5 percent less poultry, mostly because of the ban on U.S. poultry which was lifted in August.

Germany and Ukraine continue to be the dominant suppliers of beef to Russia, beef supplies from Latin America are on the increase.

On October 22nd, Russia lifted its ban on imports of Argentine beef. The ban was imposed a year earlier in response to a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Argentina. Only boneless beef imports from Argentina are allowed for further processing.

Mongolia also resumed exports of beef to Russia in October, after the lifting of a sanitary ban