Rusagro does not plan to expand the capacity of Tambov Bacon for supplies to China

“We are positive about the prospects for exports to CHINA . We have enough production capacity to begin shipments, and we will make decisions on further investments depending on EXPORT dynamics,” Tarasov noted. He emphasized that there are no plans for a significant expansion of production yet. The company previously announced its intention to begin supplying pork to China in March and already has agreements with potential customers. 

Tarasov expressed confidence in the speedy completion of the certification process for the group’s pig-breeding cluster in the Primorsky Territory, Interfax writes. He noted that a possible delay in certification of Primorye enterprises could be related to last year's problems, including the outbreak of African swine fever. Tarasov emphasized that the group has successfully dealt with the consequences of this situation in the Primorsky Territory and is ready to further expand exports to China. He added that the Chinese market is premium, which means significant cost advantages can be expected. 

General DIRECTOR of the National Union of Pig Breeders Yuri Kovalev said that the need to expand capacity for supplies to China depends on how these supplies will develop. In his opinion, it is advisable for enterprises that receive permission to expand their capacity. Kovalev noted that all enterprises from the top 10 pork producers would like to supply it to China. “I think supplies to China will be at least comparable to supplies to Vietnam , where about 2/3 of MEAT and a third of offal go,” the expert said.

The Miratorg press service said at the end of February that the opening of the Chinese market for Russian pork and the subsequent permission for producers to export should be considered a significant achievement. “This is an important signal for investors about the need to increase investment in the construction of new production facilities. Taking into account the fact that in the coming years China plans to import at least 2-3 million tons of pork annually, in order to ensure large volumes of supplies from RUSSIA, while maintaining a balance with the Russian consumer, it is necessary to continue to develop pig breeding complexes and processing enterprises. This will lead to a strong cumulative effect on the economy - from the crop production sector to transport and logistics infrastructure, contributing to the creation of new jobs,” Miratorg representatives reported.

In September 2023,  ROSSELKHOZNADZOR  announced China's permission to supply pork from Russia after conducting a risk assessment and analysis of the African swine fever control system in Russia. In December, representatives of the General Administration of Customs of China visited Russia to familiarize themselves with veterinary supervision, the activities of research institutes and pork production.