World meat industry news

The head of Chile's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service hopes to have a 'favorable response in the coming weeks.'

Alicia Gallardo, the head of Chile's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca), said she believes Russian authorities are open to lifting their remaining restrictions on imports of Chilean salmon.

"We hope to have a favorable response in the coming weeks," Gallardo said following a video conference with Konstantin Savenkov, deputy director of Russia's Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) and members of her technical team.

In the meeting, the Chilean delegation said it will comply swiftly with the Russian authority's request for further information. The talks continue earlier work to get access restored for affected salmon producers in Chile.

In addition to exchanges of information, there has been a series of bilateral technical meetings as the Chilean industry seeks to reassure Russian authorities over the safety of Chilean salmon products.

A group of 19 Chilean plants were restricted, following the detection of chemical residues and unauthorized substances in shipments to Russia, and as a result of the audit carried out by Russian authorities.

Australis Seafoods and Camanchaca most recently joined the list of Chilean salmon producers to have their products banned from the Russian market.

Russia also announced a ban on products from two other Chilean salmon farmers, Salmones Aysen and Yadran Quellon.

Russian officials visited Chile to inspect salmon processing plants in November after temporary import restrictions were placed on Chilean salmon producers at the end of October.

Restrictions were placed on exports from plants, including those of Camanchaca, Acme Chile, Cermaq Chile, Inversiones Coihuin and Nova Austral.

Some operations for Multiexport and Cermaq were also singled out for "enhanced laboratory monitoring" by the agency.