Marli Moreira
Reporter - Agência Brasil

São Paulo - The president of the Brazilian Industrial Association of Pork Producers and Exporters (Abipecs), Pedro Camargo, informed the Agência Brasil of his fear that Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), which is still being negotiated, will imply a shift in Russian preference to other markets, especially the European Union, to the detriment of Brazilian pork exports.

Russia is the biggest buyer of Brazilian pork. Between January and August of this year, the Russians purchased 266,656 tons, 64% of Brazil's overall pork exports during this period, according to data released yesterday (14) by the Abipecs.

Over the past twelve months, a total of 599,426 tons, worth US$ 1.1 billion, have been shipped there. The volume would have been even greater, had the Russian government not imposed an embargo during the period.

In a note to the press, the Abipecs says that "it hopes that the Ministry of Foreign Relations will remain firm, to the point of rejecting Russia's entry into the multilateral body, unless the parties reach an agreement that will not be harmful to Brazilian exports."

Translation: David Silberstein