Russia Considers Quotas and Export Restrictions on Poultry and Eggs
The Russian Ministry of Agriculture has floated a plan for a quota of up to 160 thousand tons for duty-free imports of certain chicken meat varieties next year. This information is cited by Prime, based on a briefing from the ministry’s press service.
In practical terms, this means that chicken meat up to the stated threshold could enter Russia without import duties.
The ministry explained that the move is intended to stabilize price levels and ensure domestic access to chicken meat and edible eggs amid rising demand for these goods. The announcement emphasizes the need to support the domestic market in times of tighter supply and higher consumer demand.
Earlier, on October 26, the Ministry of Agriculture proposed a six month ban on export of certain types of poultry meat and edible eggs from Russia. The ministry later published a draft order outlining the proposed restrictions.
On Wednesday, the ministry released further proposals detailing the specific product categories and the duration of the restrictions. The ban would run from December 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024, and would cover various poultry products, including fresh, refrigerated and frozen unslaughtered poultry. Fresh and chilled carcass parts and eggs could also be subject to limits.
Analysts cited by Kommersant, drawing on input from the consulting firm Yakov and Partners, suggested that the measures would have little impact on domestic prices. President Vladimir Putin had asked the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dmitry Patrushev, why chicken prices had risen so sharply, according to official remarks. The ministry attributed higher costs to reduced production volumes in recent months and the higher cost of inputs driven by a strong dollar. Rosstat data indicate that from the start of the year through October 23, chicken meat prices rose around 28.5 percent, while egg prices climbed about 15.87 percent.
Previously, market observers warned of a sharp uptick in chicken meat prices and talked about a possible stabilization in the near term.
[Citation: Ministry of Agriculture press service; statements reported by Prime; Rosstat and Kommersant analyses; Yakov and Partners consultancy]