World meat industry news

Trade between Russia and Ukraine is coming close to zero, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

"It should be frankly admitted that today our trade is in a very mediocre condition. It has shrunk several times. And if this continues in future, this trade has a sagging tendency," Medvedev told a press conference after a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Russia-Belarus Union State.

"I'm not talking about investments which are simply not available," he said.

Meanwhile, the Russian prime minister said that "quite recently the Ukrainian economy has been linked with the Russian one to a considerable degree.

"But this is a choice for our neighbors, they have hard won their European choice. Please, let them receive its advantages," the Russian prime minister said.

He also said that Ukrainian partners have already received these 'advantages': "All statistical reports that we have indicate that the amount of goods which Ukraine delivers to the European market, did not increase, in some most competitive positions, such as grain and agrarian products; our neighbors supply less than it was before the signing of the agreement on associate membership."

"Just for Ukrainian suppliers the EU has introduced some quotas. These are such preferences," the Russian head of government said.