World meat industry news

Russia has begun its own production of minced meat for surimi crab sticks, the All-Russian Trade in Fisheries (VARPE) reported RIA News.

In 2021, 8.4 tons of these pollock products were produced, which is almost half of the import level. The main volume falls on Southeast Asia, where minced meat falls on tropical or warm-water fish species. Pollack surimi is considered the most valuable; at present, this niche is mainly borrowed by the United States.

Association President German Zverev said that six thousand serial factories on the island of Shikotan are the first enterprise to launch serial production of surimi in Russia. Another 2.4 million tons arrived at sea, added the Association of Pollock Producers Oleksiy Buglak.

“This has had a positive impact on the domestic market. Now surimi is imported to Russia mainly from China, Japan, India, Thailand and Vietnam. Own production of surimi significantly reduces the consumption of imported raw materials, and also improves the quality and availability of consumer products, ”Zverev used.

At the end of January, fish and seafood companies write dozens of letters to the Federation of United Trade Unions of Russia (FNPR), complaining about the enactment of a law to expand the coverage of enterprises due to state plans to extend the rights to harvest crabs, shellfish and fish.