According to the Russian market analysts, the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies, IKAR, the weakest part of the sector by the end of the year was the poultry sector, because oversupply and low prices forced values down to rock bottom.

Over the year, Russia’s self-sufficiency in meat rose from 72 per cent to 76 per cent, although IKAR says that different methods of calculating self-sufficiency could make the figures a little arbitrary.

However, Russia is gradually reducing its dependence on meat imports.

In 2007, Russia was among the leading commodity importers in the world. Last year, the country had fallen to fifth place.

The leading exporter of meat to Russia is Brazil, which last year shipped 400,000 tonnes of meat into the country.

However, neighbouring states such as Belarus are moving up the trading ladder, which last year exported 300,000 tonnes of meat products to Russia.

Last year also saw a gradual fall in meat exports from Russia. Exports of meat including offal reached 50,000 tonnes last year with central and South East Asia being the main export markets.

Despite the problems with African Swine Fever in the Russian pig herd, Russia saw a gradual rise in exports of pig meat to South East Asia, which last year were between 8,000 and 10,000 tonnes.

The main destination for pig meat exports has been China and in particular Hong Kong.

There was also a growth in finished meat product exports, which IKAR estimates might have reached 45,000 tonnes in 2013. More than 80 per cent of Russian meat product exports went to Kazakhstan.

IKAR also estimated that domestic meat production is growing at a rate of 5.7 per cent a year, with a growth rate of 10 per cent in the pig sector and about six per cent in the poultry meat sector.

However, the cattle sector saw a drop in production of about one per cent.

Poultry

One of the main drivers in growth in the Russian meat sector is the growth in poultry meat production.

However after a rapid growth in production over the last three years – an increase of 10 per cent compound average growth rate – the growth rate is expected to have fallen slightly, while still remaining high.

IKAR said that production by the end of 2013 will have increased by six per cent, reaching 3.85 million tonnes deadweight.

In 2014, IKAR predicts an increase in production of between 210,000 and 230,000 tonnes liveweight – a rise of 4.4 per cent.

The poultry market in Russia is largely confined to corporate integrated intensive production, which accounts for about 90 per cent of the market.

As domestic production has increased, the share of the market from imported product has fallen to 13 per cent. Imports are largely supplied by the US, Brazil and Belarus.

IKAR is also optimistic about the export potential for domestic Russian poultry production because of the peculiarities of pricing of parts of the carcass and because of market saturation.