Thailand begins exporting pork to Russia

BANGKOK, December 17 (TNA) - Thailand has exported 48 tonnes of fresh pork to Russia, the first shipment of Thai pork to the Russian market. Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Pungboon Na Ayutthaya presided over a ceremony on Wednesday morning to release a caravan of containers holding the historic shipment of Thai pork to Russia, after Moscow recently agreed to open its market for fresh pork from Thailand. According to the minister, the move followed an inspection of Thailand's production process of livestocks by Russian officials and Moscow later gave the green light to import fresh pork produced from a pork processing plant in Bang Khla area of Chachoengsao Province in the Thai East. The Russian market reportedly demands pork equivalent to about 10 million pigs annually. (TNA)