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Russia bans imports of Swedish meat

Published: 1 Dec 09 10:45 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23582/20091201/

Nine Swedish meat processing facilities have had their licences to export to Russia revoked after failing Russian meat inspections carried out last spring.

Russian meat inspectors carried out reviews of several Swedish meat processing plants in May and June of this year.

The inspections have resulted in Russia withdrawing the export licence for one facility permanently, while eight other facilities have been slapped with a temporary ban on shipping their products to Russia.

“The Russian requirements are different from the Swedish and from the EU requirements,” Anna Brådenmark of the Sweden’s National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverket) told the TT news agency.

She said that all nine facilities have been approved by Swedish food inspection authorities.

“Russia views certain things differently,” she said.

Within the EU, audits are carried out to ensure that meat processors have a functioning system for checking food products, while Russia wants tests to be taken for every shipment.

There are also differences between the EU and Russia when it comes to how old animals should be when they are tested for BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease.

“That issue is currently under discussion at the EU level,” said Brådenmark.

According to her, Russia has carried out inspections in several EU member states which has led to several facilities losing their export licences.

When the shortcomings uncovered by the Russian meat inspectors have been remedied at the eight Swedish facilities which have had their licences temporarily withdrawn, they will once again be allowed to ship meat to Russia.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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13:14 December 1, 2009 by Luckystrike
"Russia views certain things differently," "she said."

Yes, like tighter quality control.

There's something odd about a country like Russia impossing a meat imports "bans" on our wonderfull perfect Sweden ^^
13:24 December 1, 2009 by Beynch
While I have no evidence, it would be easy to surmise that there are reasons other than "meat inspections" behind such a Russian decision. Russia, decades behind EU in food technology, and still living in a relatively infantile democratic sphere, may very well be using this as a means to other political ends.
13:39 December 1, 2009 by Osokin
Check the videos and pics posted about conditions in swedish producer facilities. Also similar note http://www.thelocal.se/23544/20091129/

Enjoy your denial state
13:47 December 1, 2009 by jack sprat
If hygiene at these facilities is no better than that in the supermarkets,eg. scraping meat of the floor and repacking it for sale to the public,..it is no great surprise.

Makes Sweden look like a third World country, if they can't even match Russian requirements.
14:18 December 1, 2009 by witsltd
@Beynch

You belong to group of people who dont think, instead present old ideas and prejudices as their own thoughts. How can you state such that Russia is behind in food technology without haveing any proof?
14:50 December 1, 2009 by hjoian
@beynch.....it seems you obviously have never been to,or eaten any products within Russia,or you would not have written such nonsense.Feel free to have your own assumptions, but dont expect others to believe it. Food quality in Moscow was far superior to crap that was served in Stockholm!!
15:19 December 1, 2009 by Beynch
Well witsltd and hjoian, fact is that I traveled extensively in the former Soviet Union, including in Siberia, and the Central Asian Republics. Since 1995 I have made at least 20 trips there, sometimes for extended stays. Admittedly not in the last four years. But I do have some idea what I'm talking about. But also please note that I begin my comment with "While I have no evidence....". Hence some of what I said is conjecture and speculation, in part based on my own experiences in Russia. До Свидание. Бэынч.
20:04 December 1, 2009 by hjoian
@beynch....fair comment. Most of my time spent in Siberia/moscow/st petersburg during the last 3 years....so maybe things have improved vastly since you were there? There are always exceptions,but generally,i saw high standards in the big towns.
03:27 December 2, 2009 by Davey-jo
"Russia bans imports of Swedish meat"

Russian women will no doubt find some other meat.....
11:06 December 11, 2009 by gentle wind
Russia bans imports of Swedish meat. Or Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Russian Federation bans meat imports from nine Swedish enterprises. This as : Is the glass half empty or half full. Depends on how you look at news.

Sweden's National Food Administration(Livsmedelsverket) says it hopes to persuade Russia to once again import meat products from Sweden after it temporarily revoked licenses from eight Swedish producers on Monday. Russia delisted the eight slaughter houses, cutting plants, and a freezer house after it sent over inspectors in the Summer. A ninth, a cold store in Scania, was permanently barred from exporting its meat products to Russia. The Russian inspectors found that conditions at the plants didn't comply with its own regulations. Russia has also made the same move at other EU states which like Sweden, have different regulations regarding antibiotics on site. Asa Kjellgren from NFA told that they would inspect the plants and then write to their counterparts in Russia to try and get them to reverse their decision. Russian imports of Swedish meat was worth 24 million dollars last year.

A special case of a general. As EU are harmful to the Swedish economy. More cost, less profit. Norway has no such problem.
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