Colombia started exporting frozen meat to Russia

The departure of six containers with 144 tons of beef cuts valued at USD$554,885 marked the start of bovine meat exports to Russia by the company Camaguey from Barranquilla.

The product sent is made up of frozen meat cuts, especially front quarters, destined to the Saint Petersburg industrial channel.

As Rafael Matera Lajud, Manager of Camaguey said, “This is the first step to enter a market with high potential like the Russian one. We have already been informed that the meat was well liked, therefore we are expecting a second order soon to allow us to strengthen our trade relations.”

The market aperture process began in 2006 with the visit to Colombia of the Russian Sanitary Service, who came to verify, in-situ, what measures have been taken to prevent and control hoof and mouth disease, in addition to inspecting Colombian slaughterhouses and analyzing compliance with the quality standards demanded by this country.

Through the work coordinated by PROCOLOMBIA, ICA, INVIMA, the slaughterhouses and the Colombian Embassy to Russia, the hygienic requirements made by Russian authorities were all satisfied, achieving sanitary export certification in March 2011.

Currently, seven Colombian plants were given an export certificate by the Russian Rosselkhoznadzor Veterinary Service.

Through a series of export promotion activities, PROCOLOMBIA connected the certified slaughterhouses to potential Russian buyers through Agro-industrial Business Matchmaking Forums, the largest one taking place in 2010 with the participation of bovine meat buyers from that country.

Specialized buyer agendas were also developed, as well as participation at the World Food Fair in Moscow in 2008 and 2009.

In addition to this work and as part of National Government’s strategy to support exporters affected by revaluation, ATPDEA and the heavy rainfall season, the certified slaughterhouses will participate, together with PROCOLOMBIA, as exporters at the World Food Fair in Moscow, to be held between September 13th and 16th, 2011, the largest food fair in Russia, enabling the promotion of Colombian bovine meat in that country.

After the United States, Russia is the second largest importer of bovine meat in the world. In 2010, product exports reached US$2,174 million, represented by 626 thousand tons of product. The main suppliers were Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Australia and Argentina.