Mexico may restart meat supplies to Russia in exchange for wheat

MEXICO CITY, Feb 16 (PRIME) -- Mexico and Russia have reached a preliminary agreement to restart exports of Mexican meat in exchange for wheat, Mexican Secretary of Agriculture Jose Calzada Rovirosa told PRIME on Thursday.

In December 2012, Russia banned imports of meat from Brazil, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. over content of ractopamine, a stimulator used to build up muscle mass of animals.

“We are talking about an arrangement of meat in exchange for wheat. We buy wheat, and Russia produces it. I hope that it will be solved soon, my visit to Russia is planned at the end of April to meet with the Minister (of Agriculture Alexander Tkachyov), to take meat sellers and wheat buyers with me,” he said.

During a recent meeting in Berlin, Tkachyov told Rovirosa that Moscow is interested in diversifying its meat market and in Mexico exporting its meat to Russia. Mexico is now working with the Russian veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog to receive necessary certificates, he said.

Enrique Sanchez Cruz, director general of the Mexican National Service for Agro-Alimentary Public Health Safety and Quality, told PRIME that Mexico may export 200,000–400,000 tonnes of meat to Russia. “The offered plan encompasses payments for mutual supplies with money, but with the creation of additional preferences. Businesses will buy the products, not governments, but some discounts may be done for them,” he said.

End