Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
Russia has not contacted the U.S. chicken industry or the U.S. government regarding its apparent plans to ban imports from 19 U.S. chicken plants, industry sources said on Thursday. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told CNN on Thursday that Russia would ban chicken from 19 U.S. chicken plants -- which were not named -- because they failed health and safety tests, and that 29 other U.S. plants had been warned. "As far as we know, Russia has taken no official action to either reduce imports of U.S. products or restrict imports from specific U.S. poultry plants. We have been in touch with our government today, and we have been told that Russia has initiated no contact on any of these issues," Toby Moore, spokesman for USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, said in an email. Russia is the largest importer of U.S. chicken, taking nearly 30 percent of those exports, but lately it has said it wants to reduce imports of both chicken and pork. The U.S. chicken industry exports about 18 percent of its production, and this year strong exports have helped offset weak domestic sales. U.S. industry sources believe Putin's statements, plus recent comments from other officials there that Russia will reduce imports of pork and chicken, may be in reaction to the West's reaction to the conflict in Georgia. In the CNN interview, Putin denied the bans were politically motivated. "This is entirely political and not based on health standards," Rich Nelson, analyst at Allendale Inc, said of Putin's statements regarding the poultry ban. "There is very long history of Russia using health standards at plants to curb imports." "Late last year the Russians delisted about 30 plants for various reasons," said Richard Lobb, spokesman for the National Chicken Council, an industry trade group. Russia's agriculture minister this week was reported as saying that the country would slash imports of pork and poultry dramatically. U.S. officials have said doing so would hurt Russia's chances of entering the World Trade Organization. Shares of leading U.S. chicken companies were mixed on Thursday, with Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (PPC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) shares up 26 cents, or 2 percent, at $13.32, Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) down 36 cents, or 2.35 percent, at $14.99, and Sanderson Farms Inc (SAFM.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) down 88 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $34.36.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...33488820080828
US chicken industry awaiting details of Russia ban
Russia has not contacted the U.S. chicken industry or the U.S. government regarding its apparent plans to ban imports from 19 U.S. chicken plants, industry sources said on Thursday. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told CNN on Thursday that Russia would ban chicken from 19 U.S. chicken plants -- which were not named -- because they failed health and safety tests, and that 29 other U.S. plants had been warned. "As far as we know, Russia has taken no official action to either reduce imports of U.S. products or restrict imports from specific U.S. poultry plants. We have been in touch with our government today, and we have been told that Russia has initiated no contact on any of these issues," Toby Moore, spokesman for USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, said in an email. Russia is the largest importer of U.S. chicken, taking nearly 30 percent of those exports, but lately it has said it wants to reduce imports of both chicken and pork. The U.S. chicken industry exports about 18 percent of its production, and this year strong exports have helped offset weak domestic sales. U.S. industry sources believe Putin's statements, plus recent comments from other officials there that Russia will reduce imports of pork and chicken, may be in reaction to the West's reaction to the conflict in Georgia. In the CNN interview, Putin denied the bans were politically motivated. "This is entirely political and not based on health standards," Rich Nelson, analyst at Allendale Inc, said of Putin's statements regarding the poultry ban. "There is very long history of Russia using health standards at plants to curb imports." "Late last year the Russians delisted about 30 plants for various reasons," said Richard Lobb, spokesman for the National Chicken Council, an industry trade group. Russia's agriculture minister this week was reported as saying that the country would slash imports of pork and poultry dramatically. U.S. officials have said doing so would hurt Russia's chances of entering the World Trade Organization. Shares of leading U.S. chicken companies were mixed on Thursday, with Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (PPC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) shares up 26 cents, or 2 percent, at $13.32, Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) down 36 cents, or 2.35 percent, at $14.99, and Sanderson Farms Inc (SAFM.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) down 88 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $34.36.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssC...33488820080828
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