Russia and Belarus sell eggs and chicken almost past their sell-by date to Kazakhstan

Eggs and chicken, supplied to Kazakhstan by Russia and Belarus are almost past their sell-by date, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing Ruslan Sharipov, head of Poultry Union of Kazakhstan. “When chicken meat starts piling up in Russia, they supply it to Kazakhstan at fire-sale prices. This happens especially frequently during summer time. Belarus doesn't export meat to Kazakhstan, but it sells us eggs, when the expiry date is only 5-6 days away,” Sharipov said. According to him, the eggs can be stored for up to 25-30 days. After that they have to be processed into egg powder or disposed of. Instead of this Belorussian and Russian manufacturers sell the almost expired eggs to Kazakh distributors. “For example, if an egg costs ten tenge, they would sell it for 5 tenge,” the speaker said. According to Sharipov, Belarus imports half-priced eggs to the western region of Kazakhstan, and Russia – to the southern region. Meanwhile, it is a challenge for Kazakhstan to enter the Russian market. “One company from Akmola oblast tried to export egg powder to the Russian city of Magnitogorsk some three months ago, but couldn't, because there was a quarantine policy related to cattle's foot-and-mouth disease in the area. What have eggs got to do with the cattle?” According to the Poultry Union chairman the company managed to export egg powder to Russia only after two months of trying. Sharipov also added that the prices of poultry will soon become equal in Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus due to the terms of the Customs Union.