Opening for pork exports to Russia as Shuanghui units get official nod

Two subsidiaries of Henan Shuanghui Investment and Development Co have gained access to the Russian market, after its parent company - WH Group Ltd, the world's largest pork producer - acquired US pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc and bought a stake in Campofrio Food Group SA of Spain, the largest pan-European packaged meat products company, last year.

The two Heilongjiang-based companies - Wangkui Shuanghui Beidahuang Food Co and Heilongjiang Baoquanling Shuanghui Food Industry Co - got the official nod after their production facilities and products were examined and assessed by officials from Russia's meat products watchdog, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, in August, Shuanghui Development said on its website.

To widen its import market for meat, the Russian government agreed to import meat products from five Chinese suppliers by the end of August, indicating the nation has taken a flexible strategy to balance the supply and demand relationship, while the US and its European allies are trying to squeeze the country's trade space in the world market.