MOSCOW, Dec 24 (Reuters) - The Philippines has lifted all restrictions on pork imports from Russia, agricultural authorities have announced.
Russia is seeking new agricultural markets and aims to enter the group of the five biggest pork exporters this year, along with Brazil, Canada, the European Union and the United States.
It currently exports most of its pork to Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, and Vietnam.
The Russian watchdog said that the Philippines has lifted all restrictions on pork imports from Russia after establishing the efficacy of measures taken by veterinary authorities to mitigate the risk of African swine fever spreading in Russia.
The Philippines Department of Agriculture issued a similar statement on the restrictions on Russian imports being lifted.
The Russian watchdog said seven Russian companies have received permission to export pork.
The Philippines temporarily banned imports of pork from Spain and Taiwan earlier in December, following ASF outbreaks in both locations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has projected Philippine pork imports will rise by 7% to 750,000 tons in 2026.
Russia's pork producers' lobby said in December that Russia plans to increase pork production to 7 million metric tons by 2030 from 6 million tons now, and pork exports to 550,000 tons from 400,000 tons in 2025, pinning its hopes on China, the world's largest producer, consumer and importer.
(Reporting by Olga Popova; Writing by Gleb Bryanski; editing by Barbara Lewis)
