Russia throws a line at large meat importer

Dmitry Nikolayevich Patrushev, Russia's agriculture minister, has indicated that Russia wants to export pork, poultry and beef to Japan. Although the country is struggling with African swine fever, this should not stand in the way of good cooperation.

At the Grüne Woche in Berlin, the Russian minister clear that the country wants to export more meat to Japan. This became known after Patrushev had a meeting with Japan's agriculture minister, Takamori Yoshikawa.

"Despite the growth in bilateral trade, the cooperation between Japan and Russia has great potential," said the minister from Russia. That Russia is Japan as a sales market for pork envisioned, however, is not surprising. Japan is the second largest importer of pork in the world (after China). In 2018, the country imported 1,5 million tons. 

Picking up trade
In 2018, Russian exports to Japan increased by 30%. The trade in agricultural products between these 2 countries represented a value of €2018 million in 378. Of this, €339 million is Russian export (about 90%). The rest is Russian imports of Japanese goods. 

The Russian minister hopes it can continue its upward trend in the future, especially by exporting pork. He also hopes that Japan will realize that the outbreaks of various animal diseases in Russia are only regional. The minister is referring to the outbreaks of African swine fever. 

Tim Roetman

Tim Roetman has been working as a junior editor at livestock farming since November 2018 Boerenbusiness† He mainly writes about (price) developments in the pig and dairy market.

t.roetman@boerenbusiness. Nl

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