Brussels, 21/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 20 October, Russia extended its ban on the import of agri-food products from the EU to offal, animal meal, fats and other products derived from bovine or porcine animals or from poultry, said a spokesperson for the Russian veterinary service, Rosselkhoznadzor. This information was confirmed by European sources on Tuesday 21 October.
Rosselkhoznadzor said that, over the last two months, it had detected 17 breaches of health standards and discovered traces of antibiotics in products from, for example, Germany, Italy, Poland, Austria and Denmark.
The European Commission has been informed of the “introduction from 21 October 2014 of temporary restrictions for imports into Russia from European Union countries of some types of products for human consumption, namely bovine fat, porcine fat (including hog grease) and avian fat”, stated a Rosselkhoznadzor press release.
These products had hitherto not been affected by the food import ban decreed by Russia at the start of August in response to Western sanctions. Moscow has many times been accused of using trade as a weapon, particularly citing health reasons, to bring diplomatic pressure to bear on its neighbours.
The restrictions are not expected to have an impact on the European pork sector, which has already been subject to a ban since February 2014. They could, however, increase the medium-term pressure on the bovine meat sector. Over 50% of exports of bovine meat to Russia is made up of offal. In 2013, beef offal exports were worth €47 million of the €83 million bovine meat exports to Russia. (LC)