In the first three months of 2013, Russia increased its imports of US poultry by 36.4% - to 71,600 tonnes from 52,500 tonnes during the same period in 2012, according to the USA Poultry and Eggs Export Council (USAPEEC). In value terms, imports amounted to US$77.9 mln compared to US$58.0 mln in the first quarter of last year. Russia became the third largest buyer of US chicken after Mexico and China.

In general, the volume of Russian poultry market in the first quarter of 2013 has been amounted to 935,800 tonnes (in carcass weight), up 12.6% or 105,000 tonnes compare to the same period last year.

Despite the increase in domestic poultry production output by 7.5% (58,100 tonnes) to 832,000 tonnes, the share of imported products in the domestic Russian market increased from 8.6% to 11.8% during the first three months of the year.

The second-largest supplier of poultry to Russia is the Republic of Belarus. In the first quarter of 2013 its share amounted to 22.6% of total imports.

Source: Argentine Beef Packers S.A.