Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 7/27/11

The Russian Economic Development Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry have proposed lower import quotas for poultry and pork for 2012, contingent on Russia joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

According to a government transcript of a visit with reporters near Moscow, Putin projected the nation will import about 350,000 metric tons of poultry and 350,000 metric tons of pork in 2012, significantly less than the 1 million metric tons of poultry that Putin recently estimated was imported into Russia. Domestic production of pork has risen to 2.4 million metric tons in 2011, but short of the 3 million metric tons expected to be consumed this year. That rise in domestic pork production is expected to continue to be strong in 2012, reducing pork imports to 350,000 metric tons from 650,000 metric tons this year.

Putin said other parameters are being discussed as negotiations on Russia joining the WTO move forward. He added that the recommendations “may be accepted only when Russia becomes a full WTO member.” Putin noted that import duties will remain at 15 percent for products imported under the quotas while duties on products above the quotas will be a prohibitive 75 percent.

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