Source:  MEATINGPLACE.COM, 9/21/09

Russia expects to import no more than 10 percent of the poultry and pork it consumes within three to four years due to growing domestic production, according to a wire service report.

Broiler meat production in Russia has risen about 15 percent to 16 percent a year over the past five years, an executive for Russian meat producer Cherkizovo told Reuters. Pork production has also risen substantially.

Sergei Mikhailov, chief executive of Cherkizovo, said Russia could reach self-sufficiency in poultry meat and pork by 2011 and possibly become an exporter by 2012.

"This goal is quite attainable, give or take a year," Mikhailov was quoted as saying. "I don't think we'll be able to do without imports altogether, but their share will shrink to about 10 percent, which is normal for keeping competition on the market."

Russia produced 64 percent of the poultry it consumed last year and bought a quarter of U.S. poultry exports, according to the article.

Russia is unlikely to cut beef imports in the near future due to a longer investment cycle for the meat, Mikhailov said.

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