According to the FCS, from 1 January to 26 February 2017, Russia imported as much as 62.6 thousand tons of beef, pork and poultry meat (excluding data on trade with member States of the EEU), which is 1.2% more than in the corresponding period of 2016.

Delivery from abroad of pork, including offal, for the period increased by 17.4%, to 30.6 million MT, while the import of chilled and frozen beef fell by 11.6% to 22.3 thousand tons, poultry meat – by 8.5% to 9.6 thousand tons the Import of beef, pork and poultry meat in money terms in the first two months of this year amounted to $162,5 million – a 7.4% more than in the corresponding period of 2016.

Import growth at the beginning of 2017 due to the low base last year, said the head of the Center for economic forecasting of Gazprombank Darya Snitko. In addition, intensified import the ruble, which at the beginning of this year compared with last year same period is significantly stronger, the expert added.

At the same time, the growth of meat imports at the beginning of 2017 is observed exclusively due to the increase in imports of pork, says consultant practice APK "neo the Center" Anastas Panin. The import of poultry meat continues to decline due to market saturation domestically, and falling imports of beef as a result of low purchasing power of the population and its switch to cheaper meat.

By the end of 2016, the production of meat in agricultural enterprises grew by 5.9%, according to Rosstat. In particular, industrial pork production for slaughter in live weight increased by 13.5%, to 2.25 million tons, beef – by 5% to 293,3 thousand tons of meat and offal of poultry by 2.8%, to 4.46 million tons In January, the issue continued to grow, increasing by 6.7%, including pork products – by 12.1%, poultry – by 3.3%, beef – by 11.5%.

Photo: newspile.ru