Russia imports less meat, more fish, milk in 2013 - customs
MOSCOW. Feb 12 (Interfax) - Russia imported less meat in 2013, but increased imports of milk, fish, cane sugar and several other types of food and agricultural produce, the Federal Customs Service said on Wednesday.
Meat imports, excluding poultry, totaled 1.285 million tonnes, worth $5.1 billion against 1.399 million tonnes ($5.5 million) in 2012. Import of poultry meat totaled 522,800 tonnes worth $839.3 million against 527,500 tonnes ($839.6 million) in 2012.
Additionally, tea import fell last year to 173,200 tonnes ($684 million) from 180,100 tonnes ($630.4 million) in 2012.
Fish imports reached 774,700 tonnes ($2.322 billion) against 736,200 tonnes ($1.953 million) in 2012; powdered milk and cream - 214,100 tonnes ($764 million) against 145,700 tonnes ($379.7 million) in 2012; butter - 142,100 tonnes ($683.6 million) against 114,900 tonnes ($449.7 million).
Coffee imports in 2013 grew to 143,900 tonnes ($517.9 million) against 122,700 tonnes ($499.8 million) a year before.
The drop in sugar beet production last year brought about a growth in cane sugar imports to 530,300 tonnes ($256.8 million) from 520,300 tonnes ($298.7 million) in 2012, and white sugar to 79,700 tonnes ($47.6 million) from 61,700 tonnes ($42.1 million) in 2012.
Additionally, Russia imported $3.4 billion worth of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages in 2013 against $3.1 billion in 2012. Cigarette and cigar shipments grew to $117.3 million from $86.5 million in 2012.
Imports of food and raw materials for food production from non-CIS countries accounted for 13.4% of overall import in January-December 2013, up slightly from January-December 2012 when it was 13%. The same imports from the CIS accounted for 14.9% of import in 2013 and 11.6% in 2012.
