Shropshire farmers play vital role in lifting Russia's meat ban
Shropshire MPs and farmers played a central role in a deal which has ended an 18-year ban on beef and lamb exports to Russia, it emerged today.
The trade deal, expected to be worth up to £100 million over three years, was finalised in Moscow yesterday by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Russian deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich.
It is the culmination of two years of diplomacy and visits between the two countries, involving farmer and marketing expert Dan Morris, from Pulverbatch, near Shrewsbury, and both North Shropshire MP Mr Paterson and Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski.
Today Mr Morris said the deal could be a massive boost for the county's beef industry following the ban, which was introduced in the wake of the BSE crisis in the mid 1990s.
Speaking from Russia, Mr Paterson said the gates of opportunity were now open for Britain's meat industry.
"The progress we have made is testament to the high standards of production and traceability for which British products are famous," he said.
"This deal is great news for farmers, exporters and the UK economy as a whole."
In August last year Mr Morris was part of a major trade mission to Russia with NFU vice president Adam Quinney, UK chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens and a delegation of MPs.
"Daniel Kawczynski was supposed to go but was unable to and suggested I go along," Mr Morris said.
Since then there have been two visits by Russian delegates to Shropshire. Mr Morris said: "We took them to see beef farms in Shropshire and also Harper Adams agricultural college. They were very impressed with what they saw and the way that the British meat is farmed, and I like to think that the visits helped lift the ban.
"Exports are worth £400 million a year to the beef industry, so £100,000 million over the next three years is a huge increase.
"Shropshire farmers can now plan for the future. If orders come in for, say, 2016, they can build their sheds and start increasing their herds in preparation."
John Mercer, NFU regional director, said: "When the export ban was lifted it was estimated it could be worth around £80 million to £115 million to the British livestock industry over the next three years.
"British produce is in demand on both home and export markets and Russia is one of the largest global importers of beef so the potential demand is huge and Shropshire farmers will benefit."
