Russian veterinary experts are to inspect U.S. poultry farms involved in exporting products to Russia, Be larus, and Kazakhstan in December 2013.

Sergei Dankvert, the Russia’s Federal Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Oversight Service head, said that experts will follow up on the program to prevent the use of growth stimulants, such as ractopamine. The Russian specialists will inspect turkey farms and the producers of broiler chicken products.

The United States first asked to postpone the visit, originally scheduled for October 28, 2013. The U.S. side did not provide reasons for its request to delay the inspections. Nonetheless, one of the suspected reasons was the American fiscal crisis. The importation of meat from the United States was stopped in February 2013 because of the use of ractopamine. Ractopamine is a substance added to animal feed to increase the volume of tissues. The use of that substance is not authorized in Russia. All meat imports containing any growth-promoting substances were banned in February.

During 2012, the U.S. shipped to Russia USD18.1 billion worth of meat products and live animals, according to Russia’s Federal Customs Service. This figure includes 47,900 tons of frozen beef valued at USD223.4 million, 1,000 tons of refrigerated beef at USD16.9 million, as well as 92,100 tons of pork with the value of USD300.4 million.

Russia and Kazakhstan imported from the U.S. 406,700 tons of poultry with the value of USD456 million. Kazakhstan consumed 25.6 percent of the total amount, while Russia took in the remaining 74.4 percent.