First buffalo meat exports to Russia to start in 6-8 weeks

Russia's phytosanitary service has sent an inspector to India to inspect and clear consignments

India’s buffalo meat export to Russia is likely to start in six to eight weeks, says Santosh Sarangi, chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.

Three months after formal approval for import, Russia’s official veterinary and phytosanitary service monitor, Rosselkhoznadzor, has appointed an inspector for India. The primary assignment of the inspector is to visit buffalo meat processing plants, pack houses and other units intended to get involved in exports and approve the consignment.

The expert will control buffalo meat production and despatch from India and will be acquainted with the raw material suppliers of Indian establishments that are going to export to Russia, said the agency.

Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit in the first week of December 2014, the agency said it was allowing import of buffalo meat from India but there was no progress thereafter to hasten the process.

“Exports will be allowed only after clearance of consignments by the Russian inspector. While the inspection has already started, it will take at least six to eight weeks to get the first consignment cleared,” Sarangi said and clarified, “The timeline can change. But, exports will be possible only after the inspector certifies the consignment, which was a part of our original agreement.”

On December 4, 2014, Rosselkhoznadzor and Kazakhstan’s agriculture ministry included Indian buffalo meat producers to the register of organisations and individuals involved in the production, processing and storage of goods transported to the territory of the customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

  Russia opened its market for Indian buffalo meat after a long period of ban. Until recently, Russia was among a number of countries which had banned import of meat and poultry products from India, due to an earlier occurrence of foot and mouth disease. The others had lifted the ban. Strict quality norms and lack of government initiatives restricted India’s entry into the Russian meat and poultry market.

“India replaced Vietnam to emerge the world’s largest supplier of buffalo meat in global markets last year. For several years, our buffalo meat exports have been rising by 25-40 per cent annually. This year, we would surpass $6 billion,” said Ajai Sahai, director-general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations. India’s export of buffalo meat was $4.35 bn in 2013-14, a rise of 36 per cent from $3.2 bn in 2012-13.

India exported only $195 million of agri products to Russia in 2013-14. And, despite supplying 60 per cent of the world’s buffalo meat, India was absent from the Russian market. India exports around $4,500 mn worth of meat and poultry products annually, of which buffalo meat is 95 per cent.

Total exports of buffalo metal from India stood at 1.45 million tonnes worth 26,457.79 crore in the financial year 2013-14 largely to Vietnam Social Republic, Malaysia, Egypt Arab Republic, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.