Chinese pork products will replace banned
pork exports from Canada, which are unlikely to win back their place in the
Russian market even if the present ban is lifted, according to Russia's meat
products watchdog.
Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance
said in a statement on the agency's website that "the Russian
government now is actively cooperating with China's veterinary authorities on
pork supplies from certain highly integrated Chinese enterprises".
Russia's
Far East region used to rely heavily on meat supplies from the United States
and Canada.
The
change in meat suppliers comes after Moscow imposed a one-year ban on a number
of agricultural products, including meat, fish, poultry, fruit, vegetables,
wine and dairy products from the U.S., the member nations of the European
Union, Norway, Canada and Australia as retaliation for their economic
sanctions.
The
economic sanctions are designed to persuade Russia to back off its aggression
in the Ukraine.
