After passing a thorough evaluation, two of China's Henan Shuanghui Investment and Development Co. subsidiaries have received authorization to export frozen pork to Russia following a 10-year ban in Chinese pork imports.

In August, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Russia's agricultural supervisor, officially approved exports of frozen meat from the Wangkui Shuanghui Beidahuang Food Co. and Heilongjiang Baoquanling Shuanghui Food Industry Co. which are both based in Heilongjiang province.

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Both companies were thoroughly assessed based on their products and facilities before finally getting an official pass to access the Russian market after the country banned exports from China in 2004.

"Our two companies are stepping up manufacturing of frozen pork products to satisfy demand from Russian importers," Shuanghui Group Director of Public Relations Liu Jintao stated.

As it expands its reach internationally, the Shuanghui Group's parent company-the W.H. Group Ltd.-has also acquired U.S. pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc. as well as Spain's Campofrio Food Group SA, the biggest European packaged meat products company.

Russia entered into an agreement with China to import meat from five suppliers in the Asian country by the end of August in order to expand its market for meat and to balance a supply and demand of the product as it has imposed a ban on meat export from the West, including the United States and the European Union following a political conflict.

Chinese meat export to Russia also presents advantages such as a shortened transport period for the product, and a cooler climate as both companies are located nearby eastern Russian borders.

"Russia's resumption of pork imports from China is a win-win solution for the two countries. Russia barely has a domestic pork industry so they import almost all their pork," Ji'nan University professor Wu Fei explained.

Extreme eastern Russia formerly relied on U.S. and Canada for meat products.

Other Chinese meat producers who were more likely to gain export permit from the Soviet includes the Shandong Jinluo Enterprise Group General Corporation.

Tagspork, Meat, export, Russia, Ban, lifted, Permit, meat export ban