Continued Focus on Domestic Production

RUSSIA - Russian beef cattle inventories have grown significantly over the last three years, supported by subsidised live cattle imports in accordance with State beef production programmes.

13 September 2012

1 minute read

Europe

Beef consumption remained flat due to a small decrease in beef production compared to previous years and a slight increase in imports as a result of increased tariff-rate quota (TRQ) volumes for “high-quality” beef.

FAS/Moscow forecasts the overall Russian cattle inventory, by the end of 2012, to increase by 0.7 per cent to 19,430,000 head. Beef cow inventories are forecast to increase in 2011 and 2012 by 45 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

Live cattle imports continue to grow, supported by State subsidies for domestic beef production programmes.

FAS/Moscow increased its slaughter forecast for 2012 by 0.6 per cent, to 6.78 million head. However, beef production did not change due to slightly lower slaughter weights for cattle.

Producers expedited slaughter because of feed shortages, and high prices for feed, after a drought in the summer of 2012.

FAS/Moscow forecasts beef production to remain flat in 2013 as producers are expected to continue to augment their slaughter rates in the first half of the year.