Imported pork is sold at dumping prices in Russia

At the beginning of 2006, the purchase price for one kilogramme of pork in Russia was 60 Roubles (1.72 Euro). Today, a kilogramme of pork has dropped to 43 – 47 Roubles (1.2 – 1.3 Euro) with imported pork selling 10-15% cheaper.

 

Despite a sharp drop prices, marketing the product has not become easier. “Meat-packing plants refuse from domestic pork, preferring lower quality imported pork,” said Kozhevnikov.

 

Although a 10% growth of pork output is expected this year, “the profitableness of pork production in Russia is about zero,” Kozhevnikov said, adding that the output of hog breeding farms grew by over 500,000 tonnes between January and November 2006.

 

According to the Russian Pork Producers Association, 87,000 tonnes of imported pork above the quota was available on the Russian market in eight months of 2006. Pork imports amounted to 580,000 tonnes last year, while the quota was 472,600 tonnes. Kozhevnikov believes that the state should use levers for regulating imports more decisively.