Russia eyes poultry exports as production grows

Russia’s poultry production volume in the first half of this year will increase to 816,800 tonnes from 717,100 tonnes in the first half of 2011, announced Galina Bobyleva, the head of the Russian union of poultry farmers (Rosptitsesoyuz), at a recent round table meeting.

At the end of this year Russia will produce 250,000 tonnes more poultry in slaughter weight than during 2011. According to Bobyleva, over the past five years 200 billion rubles (US$ 6.7 bln) has been invested in the industry from both public and private funds.

Last year Russia produced 2.9 million tonnes of poultry meat with the total needs amounting to 3.4 million tonnes per year. Thus, 85% of the country’s poultry needs are provided by the domestic poultry industry. This year Russia will produce 3.2 – 3.3 million tons of poultry meat, which will enable the country to begin full-fledged export of these products.

According to a recent instruction of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about 100,000 tonnes of poultry on the Russian market must be imported, and therefore an increase of 500,000 tonnes, which is projected over the next three years, will fully go for export.

Source: Vladislav Vorotnikov