POLAND: Business as usual at Polish meat processing plant as an end to Russia's embargo on Polish meat is in sight.

Record ID: 561354

  • Title: POLAND: Business as usual at Polish meat processing plant as an end to Russia's embargo on Polish meat is in sight.
  • Date: 17th January 2007
  • Summary: BUDEK ENTERING OFFICE/ SITTING DOWN BUDEK READING LETTER FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) C.E.O. OF POLISH FARM MEAT, JAN BUDEK, SAYING: "Our turn over went down by 30 percent."
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Poland
  • Country: Poland
  • Topics: International Relations,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVAEF66WG3TQRH8T1JX9A1ZSSKAY
  • Story Text: If Russia receives necessary assurances from Polish and EU health experts during talks on Wednesday (January 17), a deal to lift Russia's ban on Polish meats might be possible. In the mean time, Polish meat plants continue to operate despite the year long ban. 'Polish Farm Meat', located not far from Warsaw have seen business severely affected since the Russian ban on Polish meats was put in place, said the company's C.E.O. on Tuesday (January 16).
    C.E.O. of the company Jan Budek who built the business from scratch from the shadow of communist times has noticed a sever decline in business since the meat ban was enforced a year ago.
    "Our turn over went down by 30 percent," Budek said.
    But Budek said he was optimistic about the future and believed that once the ban is lifted the Polish meat industry could re-kindle a healthy relationship with its Russian neighbours.
    After a meeting with Polish Farm Minister Andrzej Lepper in Warsaw on Monday (January 15), the EU's health chief, Markos Kyprianou said he believed Russia should be able to lift its embargo after Wednesday's meeting.
    Russia has so far refused to lift its ban on meat imports from Poland, citing health issues during transport. In return, Warsaw has vetoed the launch of talks for a broad cooperation deal between the EU and Russia.
    But it might be possible for Merkel, whose country holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to strike a deal on Sunday (January 21), once Russia receives the necessary guarantees from Poland.
    It has been confirmed that Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev would meet the EU's health chief , Kyprianou to discuss the Polish ban during the EU's "Green Week" in Berlin later in the week.
    Russia and the EU will also finally sign an agreement regarding meat imports from Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the bloc on January 1, 2007.
    Russia threatened late last year to ban all imports of meat from the now 27-member state European Union, citing concerns over animal health in Bulgaria and Romania. While an EU-wide ban was averted following extensive talks, the Polish ban remained in place.
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