Source:  Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 1/6/11

Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has announced the initial distribution of 2011 tariff-rate quota quantities to importers and the quota allocation for U.S. frozen beef jumped to 41,700 metric tons, from 21,700 metric tons, according to the American Meat Institute.

The increase for U.S. frozen beef comes at the expense of an equivalent reduction to “other countries,” AMI said in a news release.

Meanwhile, the poultry tariff-rate quota has been reduced to 350,000 metric tons and narrowed in product scope, and will not have country-specific allocations in 2011. Russia has said much in recent months about the country’s goal of growing its domestic poultry supply.

Fresh beef, pork, and pork trimming tariff-rate quotas remain unchanged from 2010. The Russian economic development agency will distribute the remaining TRQ quantities to importers by April 15, 2010.

“AMI would like to thank Ambassador Siddiqui and the staff at the Office of the United States Trade Representative for their efforts in negotiating this increased allocation, which represents more than an estimated $75 million in additional 2011 frozen beef exports,” said AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle.

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