Russia imports 32.4% less meat YTD - Agriculture Minister Fyodorov
IZHEVSK. July 14 (Interfax) - Russia imported 32.4% less meat so far this year compared with the same period last year, while domestic meat output increased, Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov said at a meeting on development of dairy farming.
"We reduced imports of meat - beef, poultry meat, pork - to Russia over 20% last year owing to measures we took that they don't like in the West and America. We restricted, via Rosselkhoznadzor, use of synthetic growth stimulators. Year-to-date meat imports as of July 7 are down 32.4%," Fyodorov said.
Beef imports were down 21.2%, pork - 36.4% and poultry meat - down 10.6%.
The WTO is trying to take Russia to international court for imposing those restrictions. "But so far we haven't lost anything. On the contrary, we are only winning," he said.
Russia increased domestic meat output 4% in the first half of 2014, he said. "In principle, that is comparable with the volume of imports, although not quite. The increase could be bigger. We need somewhere around 6%, even better - 7%. We are able to do that. It is simply a matter of covering all the investment indebtedness. Then it will be easier for them to breathe and they can boost output," he said.
Modernization and reconstruction is needed to boost production, he said.
