American Poultry To Occupy Iraq

The Russian market is closed to American poultry producers

The "chicken war" between the USA and Russia is gradually coming to its logical end against a background of geopolitical cataclysms. As it turned out (and there is nothing surprising about it), Russia can do without the American poultry. Yet, America cannot do without the cheap Russian steel.

To a certain extent, the rescue from Bush legs (which is how Russians call American chicken legs) is the rescue from the dominating spirit of the USA on post-Soviet territory. The USA is not a role model for Russians anymore - it has turned into a superpower that is indifferent to their dreams. Bush legs have lost their appeal.

One may argue about the actions taken by the Russian Ministry for Agriculture to protect the home consumer market. It is not ruled out that the market will be protected in an absolutely unprofessional way. Yet, another thing is clear - it is better for Russians to eat domestic food.

This way or another, quotas on the import of agricultural products were introduced on May 1st. American manufacturers of chemicalized chicken legs will have to look for other markets that are in need of the American spirit and Bush legs. There are places like that left on the globe.

Jim Sumner, the president of the USAPEEC (USA Poultry and Egg Export Council) released a statement for the press today. American suppliers intend to look for new markets for their production. After Russia introduces poultry import quotas, this market will actually be closed to American producers - no wonder, taking into consideration the fact that the USA exports 50 percent of the world’s poultry meat exports. One-third of that volume (700,000 tons) was delivered to Russia last year. In 2001 Russia consumed more than 40 percent of American poultry exports (1.1 million tons). Jim Sumner acknowledged that American manufacturers were not going to achieve such progress in Russia again. On the other hand, America and its poultry producers can now deal with an immense world market, which definitely experiences a need for made-in-the-USA chicken legs.

As Jim Sumner said, American poultry meat producers now show an interest in the markets of the European Union and Africa. Americans have already developed the market of Mexico and China; they already consider it a territory of their own. However, American poultry had to face serious impediments in Europe. It would be sinful for the USA not to use the contradiction between the New and the Old Worlds and break the European barriers. While American poultry producers fight for Europe, their market will be maintained with Iraq, which actually caused the contradiction. Jim Sumner said that the USAPEEC was going to do a chicken intervention and feed hungry, but liberated, Iraq with Bush legs - the taste of freedom, so to speak.

As far as the introduction of Russian import quotas on poultry is concerned, Jim Sumner said that he was quite disappointed with the measure. Mr. Sumner believes that new import quotas are not based on anything and will cause considerable damage to Russian consumers. Yet, Mr. Sumner added that the USAPEEC was ready to meet all the requirements of the Russian government.

Well, the people of Iraq are not going to be able to eat all the American poultry meat anyway. Iraqi purchasing capacity is a lot lower than the Russian one, because of a decade of UN sanctions and "liberation from tyranny."

Reference: Restrictive measures for the import of beef and pork on the Russian market were introduced on April 1, 2003, and on May 1, 2003, similar measures were put into effect for the import of poultry meat. Spokespeople for the Russian Ministry for Agriculture say that such measures help domestic production. The poultry import for the year 2003 is restricted to 744,000 tons. No extra deliveries are allowed. For 2004 and 2005, the poultry quota is set at the level of 1.05 million tons, pork - 450,000 tons and beef - 420,000 tons.