Brussels, 19/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - At a meeting of Russian and French veterinary services in Berlin on 14 January, agreement in principle was reached on restarting French exports of live pigs, and pork offal and fat to Russia, the French agriculture ministry announced in a press release on Monday 19 January.
Since February 2014, an embargo has been imposed by the Russian authorities on agricultural imports from all EU member states, following detection of cases of African swine fever in the east of Europe.
Throughout this embargo, bilateral negotiations have continued between France and Russia, says the press release. Thanks to the agreement in principle reached and the opportunity afforded member states by the European Commission of negotiating health conditions with Russia, “exports could be resumed in the coming weeks”. French health organisation and scientific expertise, widely recognised internationally, contributed significantly to the progress of the negotiations, say the French authorities.
French minister Stéphane Le Foll welcomed the agreement which will allow the French pork sector, which has been hard hit by the Russian ban, to resume the trade in live pigs and pork offal and fat with Russia. Russia is a key export market for the French pork sector, estimated to be worth almost €100 million. France is continuing to call on the Commission to adopt emergency measures, such as private storage, “for as long as the situation remains tense on the European pig meat market”. This is one of the items up for discussion at next week's Agriculture Council. (LC)