The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzo) recently announced the end  to bans on some Brazilian meat plants.

Due to sanitary requirement violations by some Brazilian beef processors in June 2011, Russia banned the importation of beef, chicken and pork from numerous plants.

The permanent return of exports from Mato Grosso, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul states, according to MAPA, still depends on an official communication from Russia and a specific license per meat exporter (processing plants).

The Russian Government will also require that every meat shipment be declared free from the use of growth hormones.

Russia has been the largest market for Brazilian beef since 2004. In 2011, as a consequence of Russian decision, Brazilian beef exports decreased 19% year-on-year, to 237,631 tonnes swt.

Assisted by the depreciation of the Brazilian real in 2012, Brazil’s competitive position in the Russian market improved, with exports for January to October 2012 up 5% year-on-year, to 220,432 tonnes swt.

Pork and chicken exports were also strongly impacted by the ban, declining 46% and 139%, respectively in 2011.