World meat industry news

The member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), which currently comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, are going to harmonize rules on organic production. This implies an international agreement to be signed, as said by Armen Harutyunyan, Director of the Industrial Policy Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), in an interview with Veterinary and Life at the site of the Global Fishery Forum, held in St. Petersburg on September 21-23.

“The international agreement has been prepared to harmonize the rules for organic production in EEU states,” Armen Harutyunyan said.

He explained, that this agreement provides for a common approach to labelling of organic products, including a common conformity mark.

“The agreement is mostly aimed at ensuring free circulation of organic products in the EEU. Almost all provisions have already been negotiated and the first draft of this agreement is to be discussed at the board meeting in November,” said Armen Harutyunyan, and added, that the agreement will be signed next year. In the meantime, a new standard is being developed by a group of experts.

It is worth noting, that there are 127 certified organic producers in Russia. All of them are included in the State Registry.

Currently, organic food is produced in 42 regions of the Russian Federation. There were only 9 of those, when the law on organic production was adopted in 2020. About 60 manufacturers are supplying Russian organic products for export.

The Ministry of Agriculture together with Roskachestvo have developed an organic production growth strategy until 2030.