After more than a year of pork exports from the U.S. to Russia being halted, no official decision has been made on when the market will open back up.

Jim Herlihy, the vice president of communications with the U.S.  Meat Export Federation noted that prior to the close of the market in February of 2013, Russia had been an important red meat export market for the U.S.

“In 2012, regarding pork, Russia was the 6^th largest exporter of U.S. pork,” he said.

Before the close of the pork export market, Herlihy noted that exports between the U.S. and Russia had gone up substantially in 2012, which included a one-third increase in the volume exported, and the value was up 22 percent.

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The pork market between the U.S. and Russia was headed in a positive direction until it was closed, because of the use of beta agonist feed additives. 

The communications specialist noted that the governments of U.S. and Russia have been in talks for some time regarding the reopening of the market.

“We know the opportunity that the Russian market presents based on how it performed in 2012,” Herlihy said.

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