Russia set to import more beef

Marts: The beef market in Russia, to which Ireland exports about 2,500 tonnes per month, is set to become the second largest importer of beef in the world for 2007.

The United States remains the largest importer of beef in the world, but imports of beef by Russia are exceeding expectations for the year and indicating that Russia will emerge at the end of 2007 as second only to the United States as a world leader in the import of beef.

The latest World Beef Report, which has been published by the USDA has forecast that imports by Russia in 2007 will increase by 8%, representing an increase of 65,000 tonnes on the estimated purchases of 840,000 tonnes for 2006. At imports of more than 900,000 tonnes, Russia will become the second largest market in the world for beef imports.