7 Aug 2018 14:35

Russia continues to reduce meat and butter imports, sharply boosts apple and palm oil imports - FCS

MOSCOW. Aug 7 (Interfax) - In 7M 2018, Russia has maintained food products import trends seen at the start of the year: imports of meat and dairy butter are declining, while apple and palm oil imports are growing sharply, the Russian Federal Customs Service (FCS) said in a statement.

Russian imported 190,000 tonnes of meat, excluding poultry, for a total value of $692.8 million, down 35.6% or 26.2% in value terms compared with 6M 2017. Poultry imports declined 14.9% or 14.5% in value terms to 98,900 tonnes, totaling $157.2 million. Shipments of dry milk and dairy cream totaled 71,600 tonnes, down 37.3% or 47.8% in value terms to $138.9 million, while dairy butter imports stood at 36,700 tonnes, down 38.1% or 43.3% in value terms to $176.7 million.

Fish imports remained at practically the same level as last year and totaled 197,600 tonnes, but rose 17.7% in value terms to $605.5 million.

At the same time, imports of cheese and tvorog rose 13.1% in volume terms to 123,100 tonnes. In value terms, imports were down 1.5% to $447 million.

Coffee imports increased 9.7% to 95,600 tonnes for a total of $294.6 million, while imports of tea fell 0.2% to 84,400 tonnes for a total of $260.9 million.

Imports of bananas grew 3.8% to 852,000 tonnes for a total of $637.5 million, while citrus fruit imports increased 12.2% to 804,500 tonnes for a total of $583.2 in value terms. Apple imports ballooned by nearly a third to 658,900 tonnes, totaling $465.4 million. Palm oil imports expanded 26.2% to 480,100 tonnes, totaling $359.4 million.

Cocoa product imports rose substantially, shooting up 64.8% to 60,100 tonnes. Cocoa bean imports grew 11.3% to 24,600 tonnes for a total of $65.5 million, while imports of cocoa butter grew 19.5% to 16,200 tonnes, totaling $91.9 million.

Raw sugar imports stood at only 2,700 tonnes, totaling $2.1 million, down 76.9% from the previous year. Imports of white sugar fell 0.8% to 144,200 tonnes, totaling $60.1 million.

Imports of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks totaled $1.175 billion, up 20.9% compared with 6M 2017, while cigarette and cigar imports totaled $78.4 million, up 21.8%. Raw tobacco imports fell 6.5% to 72,700 tonnes, totaling $332.6 million.