International Egg and Poultry Review - By the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service - This is a weekly report looking at international developments concerning the poultry industry, this week looking at the expansion of the EU.

Russia

Russia established a quota system in 2003 to restrict poultry, beef and pork imports to protect domestic livestock breeders. The U.S. and the EU might not be able to completely fill their quotas for 2004. The distribution of TRQ licenses for 2004 were delayed, several U.S. plants were delisted in 2004, and some EU exports were delayed due to a reinspection of new EU member plants in the late summer. As broiler meat prices rose due to tighter supplies, buyers switched to lower quality spent hens or cheaper turkey meat.

Russian Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin said inflation, projected to increase 10 percent, will rise over 11.5 percent in 2004 due to high prices for meat, grain and oil. The rise in meat and poultry prices contributed 1.2 percent to inflation in 2004.

The issuance of implementing regulations for the 2005 poultry quota have been delayed, slowing poultry imports for the second straight year. Although press reports have suggested that Prime Minister Fradkov is close to signing the implementing resolutions, the documents had not been published as of December 30, 2004. Even if these resolutions had been passed before the New Year holidays, normal levels of trade could not resume until February 2005. For 2005 imports to begin, the Russian Government must issue two legislative measures for each commodity: an implementing resolution and an importer list. Despite importer list problems in 2004, Russia issued some provisionary import licenses in January and February. Exports were one-third to half of normal monthly trade for the first three months in 2004.

Broiler meat imports in are forecast to decrease by 7 percent in 2005 if legislative problems continue. Poultry meat supplies are expected to total 2,250,000 metric tons in 2004; 1,200,000 MT in domestic meat and 1,050,000 in imported meat. Russian broiler meat supplies are forecast to grow 13 percent in 2005 due to continued investment in the sector, high demand and high domestic prices.
Source: USDA/FAS, The Central Bank of the Russian Federation, Resolution of the Russian Federation Government #880, news wires

Newcastle Disease

Bulgaria Disease (ND) was confirmed in unvaccinated backyard poultry on December 20, 2004. The previous ND outbreak was in January 1993. The mountainous area does not have any commercial farms. All poultry in the immediate area were culled and ring vaccination was started in the area.

Japan ND was confirmed on December 27, 2004 on a commercial farm in the southern part of Japan. The last outbreak in Japan was in September, 2002. Commercial farms within a 3-km radius of the infected farm and the breeding farm where the infected chickens were hatched, were inspected. Chickens which are infected or suspected of being infected will be destroyed.

Greece An outbreak of ND was reported on January 7, 2005. The outbreak affected one poultry farm with 20,500 free range broilers. The only other farm in the area, with 3,000 broilers, did not show any signs of the disease. The last outbreak in Greece was reported to the OIE in September 1986. The Greek Veterinary Services took actions to implement stamping out measures, according to the provisions of the European Council Directive 92/66/EEC.
Source: OIE Animal Health Information Department information

To view the full report, including tables please click here (PDF Format)

Source: USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service - 11th January 2005