Owen Paterson seals deal with Russia to end beef and lamb ban
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has struck a deal to end an 18-year ban on British beef and lamb in Russia.
The trade deal, expected to be worth up to £100 million over three years, was being finalised in Moscow today by the Shropshire MP and Russian deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich.
It opens the door to a £2 million contract for beef offal, the first time the red meat has been allowed into the country since the BSE scare of the mid 1990s.
Mr Paterson said: "'The progress we have made is testament to the high standards of production and traceability for which British products are famous. This deal is great news for farmers, exporters and the UK economy as a whole."
Food and drink exports from the UK to Russia have grown by over 220 per cent since 2000. They are now worth more than £121 million.
