(IntraFish) Russia has agreed to slash the import duty on cod and haddock from its former 10 percent to a current level of 5 percent and to extend its duty-free import regime for chilled capelin and pollock.
However, the country has rejected a proposal to scrap the import duty on imported herring.
The measures were agreed at a meeting on customs tariff led by Russia’s deputy prime minister Viktor Zubkov on April 25.
The proposal to scrap the import duty on herring had been opposed by the Russian Pollock Association (ADM), whose director German Zverev had said that the proposal would have harmed Russia’s far east fishermen.
ADM unites 45 fishing enterprises of the Far East, which have the right to catch 56 percent of the total quota of Pacific herring.
The total Russian quota for Pacific herring was increased to 427,000 metric tons for 2012. In contrast, quotas for Atlanto-Scandian herring were reduced, with the Norwegian and Russian quotas down by 100,000 metric tons and 30,000 metric tons respectively.
"This will raise the price,” Zverev (pictured) said. “The Russian Atlantic herring will cost RUB 57 (€1.47/$1.94) to RUB 58 (€1.49/$1.98) per kilo, while the Norwegian one will cost RUB 53 (€1.37/$1.81) to RUB 54 (€1.39/$1.84) per kilo. However, if mport duty prices on herring were cut, Norwegian herring would remain at current levels: RUB 50 (€1.29/$1.7) per kilo.”
According to ADM, domestic and imported herring each accounted for around half of the 500,000 metric tons of herring sold in Russia last year.
The average wholesale price of Russian Atlanto-Scandio frozen herring now stands at RUB 54 (€1.39/$1.84) per kilo. The Norwegian counterpart is cheaper at RUB 50 (€1.29/$1.7) per kilo.