China detects coronavirus in meat imported from Russia

The Main Customs Administration of the People's Republic of CHINA informed about the identification by the sanitary authorities of Guangdong province of the genome of the covid-19 pathogen in 13 batches of products from three Russian enterprises for the production of MEAT and offal, certified for EXPORT to China . This is stated in the message of the ROSSELKHOZNADZOR , which is at the disposal of RBC.

These enterprises, which are part of the Cherkizovo group of companies, are located in the Bryansk, Voronezh and Kursk regions. China suspended the acceptance of import declarations for products from these enterprises for four weeks. Infected meat will be returned or destroyed.

Rosselkhoznadzor launched an investigation. Certification of products of the mentioned enterprises will be suspended. The ministry suggested that the detection of the CORONAVIRUS genome on Russian products may indicate increased control over food imports by the Chinese authorities.

In 2020, China became the largest importer of Russian meat. The share of the mainland in the first half of last year accounted for 45% of deliveries in physical terms, and taking into account Hong Kong - 54%. Poultry meat occupies the bulk of Russian exports to the country. Andrey Terekhin, the HEAD of the Cherkizovo group, said that its deliveries abroad in the first half of the year increased 2.4 times in physical terms, largely due to the Chinese market.