Russia is temporarily banning the import of beef by-products from Australia, citing the detection in shipments of a growth stimulant it prohibits, throwing into doubt exports that brought in around A$10 million ($8.81 million) last year for Australia.
The ban will be imposed from Jan. 27 and is prompted by the detection in several shipments of the growth stimulant, Russia’s Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service said in a statement on Thursday.
Most countries permit the use of the hormonal growth promotant Trenbolone but Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States prohibit their presence in beef imports, analysts said.
Russia imported 12,435 tons of beef offal from Australia in the first 11 months of 2013, according to industry data, worth A$10.5 million. Industry body Meat and Livestock Australia said the Russian market was worth about 10 percent of annual Australian beef offal exports.
Russia imported 1.1 million tons of red meat worth $4.5 billion in January-November 2013, according to official customs data.