Government assistance for Russian meat processing plant

The Kudyashovsky meat processing plant, is to go back into operation, with government assistance.

The plant has capacity to process 1000 tons of pork per week, with the increase in the production of pork, the plant is now seen as a viable operation.

The general manager of the plant Stanistav Nasimov, said "we purchased most of the equipment from Europe and have brought the plant up to a state-of-the-art complex"..

This is one more move by the government, to become self sufficient in meat.

There has also been a joint United States and Russian cattle breeding unit, opened this week in the central Russian region of Kluge.

There will be 10 Bulls and eventually 600 cows at the center, that will extract semen for breeding and improving herd quality.

3,500 Holstein breeding cows, were imported from Australia in recent months, to improve the genetics in the dairy industry.

Meanwhile imports of meat to Russia, have dropped by 20% for the month of October, compared with October 2007.

For the first two weeks of December, imports to Russia were,

20,000 tons pork,

25,000 tons beef,

32,500 tons poultry.

This is a massive drop on last year, indicating than the Russian trade will not improve until well into the new year.