Poland-Meat plants inspected by Russian government Vets.

POLAND-RUSSIAN INSPECTORS TO LOOK OVER MEAT PLANTS.

Russian veterinary inspectors will arrive in Poland in the third quarter of the year at the latest to inspect Polish meat and dairy plants interested in receiving the right to export their products to Russia, the Agriculture Ministry said Wednesday.

Firms approved by the inspectors will be entitled to export their products to the Russian Federation.

Meat trade with Russia has been resumed in December 2007 after Russia lifted its 2005 imposed embargo on Polish meat and meat products. The export of plant products was resumed in January 2008.

Currently, 60 Polish companies, including 5 red meat plants, 8 poultry plants, 29 dairy plants and 7 fodder plants have licences to export their products to Russia.

The decision on the continuation and acceleration of Russian vet inspections at Polish processing plants has been made during the first meeting of the Polish-Russian working group for cooperation in agriculture.

According to Finance Ministry data the value of exports of agri-food products to Russia closed at 486 million euros in 2008 (2007- 454 million euros), while imports reached 47 million euros. Poland’s entire export in this sector reached over 11.3 billion euros in 2008.