Russian-U.S. talks on safety standards for American poultry imports may last until the end of the year, the president of Russia's Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs said on Tuesday.
Russia imposed a ban on chlorine-treated U.S. poultry imports as of January 1, citing new safety requirements, a move Washington said would damage the U.S. poultry industry and push prices up for Russian consumers.
"This is simultaneously a bureaucratic and technological process," Alexander Shokhin said after discussions with U.S. specialists in Moscow. "It may last through the year, or may be over in a month. But we would not like to waste this year."
Russia's quota for the United States this year is 600,000 metric tons of poultry. Imports from the U.S., the world's largest poultry producer and exporter, accounted for some 22%, or 750,000 tons, of poultry consumed in Russia last year.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia had warned Washington of the new rules well in advance. He said last week that Russia could find other poultry suppliers if U.S. producers fail to meet the country's sanitary requirements.
Shokhin, however, cast doubt on Russia's ability to find new suppliers at the start of the year, when contracts have been signed, but suggested domestic producers would probably be able to increase production.
U.S. poultry shipments peaked in 2001, topping 1 billion metric tons, and began to decline as the Russian government began cutting import quotas.
Russian producers and public have long been speculating over the possible dangers of the U.S. product, citing excessive levels of hormones, antibiotics, chlorine and other chemicals.
Moscow will host a second round of poultry talks on January 20-21.
MOSCOW, January 19 (RIA Novosti)
