Mongolia intends to increase the volume of meat exports to
Russia, Vietnam, South Korea and China in the next few years, according to a
recent statement from the country’s Agricultural Minister Radnaa Burmaa.
According to Burmaa, the country will invest up to 90
million US dollars in the development of meat exports this year.
“In 2014, Mongolia exported meat to only one region of
Russia. Now, we have established a contractual relationship with eight regions
in the Russian Federation. We also intend to increase supplies of meat products
to China and South Korea,” she said.
“We are working on this issue. The Ministry has allocated 80
Billion Tugrug (40 million USD) for the creation of additional reserves of meat
and 100 billion tugrug (50 million USD) for a further increase in deliveries of
meat abroad,” she added.
Strong potential
Burmaa said that, currently, the country had strong
potential to develop export supplies, as last year, the number of livestock in
the country saw unprecedented growth of
34% year-to-year to reach 56 million head.
At the end of 2015, after a two-year ban, China resumed
imports of Mongolian meat. Experts suggested that, since 2013, the country had
achieved real progress in terms of improving livestock biosecurity. As such,
the prospects for Mongolian in the Russian market were considered by local
participants to be much better.
“Up to 80% of Russia’s beef imports come from Latin America.
However, Mongolia is located much closer to Russia, so cooperation with the country
would be much more profitable, while for companies located in the Urals
(federal district) supplies from Mongolia would be more convenient in terms of
logistics,” said Mushegh Mamikonyan, chairman of the Russian Meat Union.
Previously, Mongolia’s Meat Union estimated that the country
had the potential to establish export supplies to Asia and Russia worth a total
of 600 billion tugrug (300 million dollar)per year. Deliveries to Russia, it
added could reach 100,000 tonnes (t) per year, while forecasts for Asian
markets had not yet been estimated.
Biosecurity Issues
“Supplies of such volumes of meat (to Russia) would be a
good step in diversifying import flows. In addition, pastoral breeding provides
meat with less fat content, so in terms of food hygiene this is a plus in favor
of the Mongolian product,” added Mamikonyan.
However, several industry observers have suggested that
Mongolia has not yet solved all it biosecurity issues.
“Mongolia is sufficiently large and there are many wild
animals and related infections. The risk of livestock contracting these
infections is high, simply due to the pastoral method of livestock breeding,”
said Eugene Lapinsky, head of the animal husbandry and veterinary department at
Russia’s National Meat Association.
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