Poultry International - February 2012 - 17
17 problems are poor management, a lack of innovation and high levels of depreciation of equipment. Additionally, Russia currently has no stable domestic suppliers of hatching eggs, while many industry enterprises do not have effective slaughter and packaging equipment. Labour productivity in the Russian industry is several times lower than that of the EU, the US and Brazil. Consumption growth There is the possibility that WTO membership may result in greater competition and a gradual resolution of the majority of the sector's problems, as well as creating condition for growing per capita consumption of poultry meat. Currently, average per capita consumption of poultry in Russia is estimated at 20 kg, significantly lower than in the EU and US. However, taking into account the February 2012 | www.WATTAgNet.com generally low level of consumption of all meats in Russia, this figure could be considered high, with poultry accounting for 40% of all meat consumed by Russians. Local analysts predict that over coming years, poultry consumption in Russia will continue to grow, and by 2020, poultry could account for up to 45% of total meat consumption. The global economic crisis has had a mixed effect on the Russian poultry market. On one hand, it resulted in a massive consumer shift to poultry meat; on the other, the poor (who constitute a very large percentage of consumers), found almost all meat including chicken out of reach. □ ❯ Eugene Gerden is an international freelance writer specializing in the global poultry and meat industry. He can be reached at: gerden.eug@ googlemail.com.
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