Fishermen called for the abolition of zero duty on minced meat for crab sticks

According to Vedomosti, the All—Russian Association of Fishermen appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture with a request not to extend the zero duty on the import of surimi - minced fish from which crab sticks are made into the EAEU. The proposal was also submitted to Maxim Titov, head of the Department of Regulation of the Agro-industrial complex of the Ministry of Agriculture. Currently, it is already under consideration.

Recall that in 2021, a zero rate was set for the import of surimi, before that the duty was 5%. The duty expires on April 30 of this year.

Minsk took the initiative to extend such a rate for three years. On the territory of the EAEU countries, there is no surimi made from whiting, because the share of its imports is 100%. In Belarus, both crab sticks and crab meat are getting more expensive by almost 20%. To prevent prices from rising even more, it is proposed to leave the benefit.

The Russian Ministry of Energy indicated that the proposal will be considered together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rosrybolovstvo (All—Russian Association of Fishermen) next month.

All—Russian Association of Fishermen pointed out that the production of pollock surimi has increased in Russia. During the past year, more than 30 thousand tons of the product were produced, whereas the figure a year earlier was 10.8 thousand tons.

Experts point out that high–quality pollock surimi on the wholesale market can cost 250 rubles. for 1 kg, and products from other types of fish - 180 rubles. for 1 kg. For expensive surimi, cheaper products are often given out.

Earlier it became known that the Ministry of Agriculture abandoned the goal of the state program "Development of the fisheries complex" to increase the consumption of fish products in the amount of 25 kg per capita per year.