China's pork products heading to Russia

Chinese pork products will replace banned pork exports from the West, which are unlikely to win back their place in the Russian market even if the present ban is lifted, according to Russia's meat products watchdog.

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance said in a statement on the agency's website on Wednesday that "the Russian government now is actively cooperating with China's veterinary authorities on pork supplies from certain highly integrated Chinese enterprises".

Russia's Far East region used to rely heavily on meat supplies from the United States and Canada. The change in meat suppliers comes after Moscow imposed a one-year ban on a number of agricultural products, including meat, fish, poultry, fruit, vegetables, wine and dairy products from the US, the member nations of the European Union, Norway, Canada and Australia as retaliation for their economic sanctions.