Ministry of Agrarian Policy worried about low quality meat products import
16.07.2008 10:44 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
As to Minister of Agrarian Policy Yuriy Melnyk Fri Kyiv report, Ministry of Agrarian Policy/professional branch associations are concerned with Ukrainian last 2 months meat products import growth. “Meat import activation is due to Ukraine having lowered import duties up to WTO demands. As of now, companies bring in low quality meat which isn’t consumed in other countries; in Ukraine, however, this meat is used as food,” declared Melnyk. As to operative data, said Minister, just within this year Jul first 9 days Ukraine has imported in total 11,000 MT meat, incl. 1,025 MT beef (925 MT – off-cuts, 80 MT – by-products and 20 MT – block meat) and 5,968 MT pork (3,561 MT – whole, half and quarter carcasses, 970 MT – block meat, 983 MT – pig fat, lard, etc. and 453 MT – by-products). Within this period Ukraine has also imported 4,062 MT poultry meat (incl. 2,774 MT – mechanically deboned, 100 MT – by-products, 414 MT – carcasses and 773 MT – chicken legs). “As to our calculation, within this year 7 months Ukrainian meat import can reach ≈ 200,000 MT. This is about as much as we have imported within total 2007,” emphasized Minister. Melnyk made it known imported poultry meat average price (as for 2008 first half-year results) was US$915 per MT ( ≈ UAH4,4 per kg), beef – US$911 per MT ( ≈ UAH4,4 per kg) and pork – US$1,826 per MT (≈ UAH8,85 per kg). Melnyk is convinced meat active import has caused harm mostly to domestic pork/beef producers. As to him, this year Jun pork/beef domestic market purchase prices have dropped by UAH2,0 per kg against this year May. As to Minister, Ukraine will introduces new GOST standards for most sausage products since this year Aug 1; due to new GOST standards, producers will be obliged to make sausage products only from high quality meat resources. Besides, Melnyk said Ministry of Agrarian Policy started elaborating technical regulations to regulate meat production/processing. Melnyk expects Cabinet would adopt these regulations within this year second half. As earlier reported, experts estimate Ukrainian 2008 imported meat/meat products requirement ≈ 250,000 MT. Reportedly, Ministry of Agrarian Policy forecasts this year Ukrainian meat production will reach 2.030 mn MT (slaughter weight), up 6.2% against 2007.
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