Russia To Issue Individual Poultry, Pork Import Quota For Brazil - RUSSIA - The Russian government will decide within two weeks whether to issue an individual quota for the import of poultry and pork from Brazil, Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev said in Moscow late Tuesday.

Gordeyev was speaking after a meeting with a delegation of Brazilian officials.

Gordeyev said if the decision was positive, the individual quota for Brazil would come into effect in 2004.

He stressed that Russia's total import quotas or individual quotas for the import from other countries would not be affected.

Russia's poultry import quota for 2004 is 1.05 million metric tons. The U.S. has an individual quota for 74% of that amount. The E.U. has 18%. Brazil is included in the clause under "other countries," which totals 6%.

The pork import quota is 450,000 tons, with the E.U. allocated 50% and Brazil listed under "other countries".

Gordeyev said Brazil was a major poultry and meat producer and was not satisfied being included under "other countries" and has asked for a fixed individual quota.

Source: eFeedLink - 22nd January 2004