"We have to give preference to local food products becuase their quality is higher," Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said yesterday.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Government Intends to Cut Meat Imports
The Russian government intends to reduce imports of pork and poultry to Russia, Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov announced today at a meeting devoted to poultry industry development. He noted that Russia does not meet its demand for beef, and will be unable to for several more years to come. “We need to take account of our own resources for pork and poultry and restrict imports through a tariff quota,” Zubkov stated.
Russian Minister of Agriculture Alexey Gordeev told journalists that limiting the number of customs clearance points for imported meat will not lead to higher prices on the Russian market. “There will be no shortage,” he added. He said that Russia needed to follow the example of the European Union and create a limited number of specialized clearance points for meat. He agreed with Zubkov that there was an excess of poultry in Russia.
Gordeev stated that the draft law “On Trade” will make provision for the government to set limits on retail markups of socially significant food products “under certain circumstances,” in spite of the opposition of the Finance Ministry. “We are prepared for any mechanism that guarantees fair pricing,” Gordeev stated. He noted that the markup on food products ranges from 30 to 40 percent, while farmers receive only 20 percent of the final price. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade will submit that draft law to the government in the near future.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
