Russia cut meat imports by nearly 27 percent in the first eight months of 2009, the Interfax News Agency reported, citing data from the country's Federal Customs Service.

FCS said meat imports, excluding poultry, dropped to 757,300 metric tons from 1.03 million tons in January-August 2009 compared with the same period in 2008.

Poultry imports in 2009 also fell, to 556,500 metric tons from 787,500 metric tons in the first eight months of 2008. All poultry was imported from non-Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

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