Azerbaijan to export horse meat to Customs Union countries
By Aygul Salmanova
The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) granted licenses to two Azerbaijani companies to supply various products to the territory of the Customs Union, the Russian department said on January 18.
Two Azerbaijani companies, Agro Invest & Istehsalat (Agroinvestments and Production) and AZMEAT777, received licenses.
Agro Invest & Istehsalat will supply a variety of fish products, including fresh and chilled fish (trout, salmon, carp, carp and white cupid), fish fillets, dried, salted and dried fish, caviar of sturgeon, as well as various semi-finished products and canned food.
The company AZMEAT777, engaged in cutting and storing horse meat, production of offal and horse fat, plans to export horse meat. It should be noted that until today Azerbaijan exported horse meat only to Kazakhstan.
Furthermore Rosselkhoznadzor has expanded the license for the company "Khazarbalig" LLC, which will now be able to supply a wider range of fish products, including fillets, salted, dried fish and other products.
For the first time Azerbaijan began to export horse meat in 2016. The country exported 6.316 horses (for slaughter) in January-October 2017, thereby increasing export volumes by 5.5 times compared to the same period in 2016. On average, in 2017, the average export price of one carcass was $148, while in 2016-$141.
Although meanwhile the country exports horse meat only to Kazakhstan, it also considers European countries, which actively import horse meat at very attractive prices, a potential market.
Moreover, in 2016 Azerbaijan agreed to send horse meat to Moldova, based on the agreement concluded between the companies of the countries.
Azerbaijan is one of the main economic partners of Russia among the CIS countries.
To date, Azerbaijan has invested $1 billion in the Russian economy, and Russia $3 billion in the economy of Azerbaijan. The trade with Russia in January-July 2017 amounted to $1.1 billion, $329 million of which was exported to this country, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.
Interregional cooperation plays an important role in the development of Russian-Azerbaijani trade and economic relations and the increase in trade turnover.
At present, enterprises of 71 regions of the Russian Federation cooperate directly with Azerbaijan. Fifteen regions of Russia have relevant agreements with Azerbaijan on trade and economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation.
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