Russia maintains beef, poultry import quotas for 2025 at 2024 levels

MOSCOW. Dec 13 (Interfax) - The government has approved the size of quotas for importing beef and poultry meat into Russia in 2024 as well as their allocation by country and type of meat.

The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) determined these quotas for all Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries in August this year.

Russia's quota along with its country-specific and product-specific allocations has remained at the same level as in previous years.

According to a Russian government resolution of December 12, 2024 published on the portal of official legal information, the quota for Russian beef imports in 2025 will amount to 570,000 tonnes, including 40,000 tonnes of fresh and chilled beef. Of this, 29,000 tonnes are designated for EU countries and 11,000 tonnes for other countries.

The 530,000 tonne frozen beef quota is divided between the EU and the U.S. at 60,000 tonnes each and Costa Rica at 3,000 tonnes. The remaining 407,000 tonnes are allocated to other countries.

The poultry meat import quota is set at 364,000 tonnes, including 100,000 tonnes of ground meat with 80,000 tonnes of this allocated for imports from the EU, 250,000 tonnes of chicken halves or quarters and 14,000 tonnes of frozen boneless turkey meat.

Russia began imposing meat import quotas in 2003. A pork import quota was also applied until 2020, but it was replaced by a 25% tariff in accordance with Russia's WTO commitments.

Despite the establishment of quotas for the EU and the U.S., they are not allocated among external trade participants because meat imports from these countries have been banned under Russia's food embargo that has been in effect since August 2014.

Russia has been steadily reducing meat imports in recent years, particularly pork imports. Pork imports are almost non-existent due to economic inexpediency, the National Union of Hog Breeders said. Just 3,450 tonnes were imported in 10M 2024. Total meat imports during this period stood at 523,600 tonnes, with the majority being beef and poultry.

As previously reported, in July this year, a representative of the Agriculture Ministry said that Russia may abolish beef import quotas in 2025 and shift to importing the meat with a tariff of 27.5%. The ministry's press service said that this measure was supported by the subcommittee on customs and tariff regulation and is expected to be further studied within the EEC.