“Currently, the service is in the process of submitting information to the Chinese registration system for three Russian producers visited by Chinese professionals in December 2023,” stated the Rosselkhoznadzor.
The representatives of the authority also confirmed that they will send a report on the implementation of the recommendations provided by their Chinese counterparts during the visit.
“The Service expects Russian pork exports to China to begin within the next two months,” announced the Rosselkhoznadzor.
According to Interfax, the Miratorg argo-industrial holding has finalized the initial agreements for the export of pork to China. “We’re preparing to ship the first batch of pork from our production facility in Belgorod region. We have sealed the first deals with Chinese clients and adjusted our product range according to the preferences of local cuisine. There are certain items that have high demand in China but are not popular among Russian consumers. Securing markets for such products significantly cuts the cost of basic meat products for the manufacturer and supports production growth,” stated Miratorg’s press service as quoted by the Rosselkhoznadzor.
It took over 7 years for the Rosselkhoznadzor to finally establish the potential for Russian pork to enter the Chinese market. The multi-stage process involved negotiations, visits by Chinese representatives to Russia to evaluate the Russian pig products safety control system, and providing comprehensive information requested by GAC.
In September 2023, China lifted sanitary restrictions on African swine fever (ASF) that had been in place for Russia since 2008.
In December, GAC inspectors visited Russia to assess the veterinary control system and the operations of Rosselkhoznadzor’s research institutions. They toured pig farms and conducted audits on the corresponding production sites.
The key document, namely the protocol on control, quarantine, and veterinary regulations for the export of Russian pork to China, was signed by Sergei Dankvert, the Head of Rosselkhoznadzor, and Yu Jianhua, the Head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC) of the People's Republic of China, on December 19, 2023.
At the end of December, the Rosselkhoznadzor approved the veterinary certificate for the pork export to China.
Today, China imports 2.5–3 million tons of pork annually. Russian pork producers aim to capture 5–10% of this market, exporting 150,000–200,000 tons of pork each year. This is our immediate target for the next 1-2 years, Yuri Kovalev, General Director of the National Union of Pig Breeders, told V&L.
