The National Meat Institute (INAC) is currently promoting high value beef cuts at Prodexpo Moscow 2014, Russia’s main food fair. Uruguay’s excellent positioning, the meeting with Russian phytosanitary authorities to increase the entry of products with an improved quality and price and the surprise of connecting the presentation with the ballet were the main considerations conveyed by Alfredo Fratti, the president of INAC from Uruguay’s Prodexpo stand in Moscow.
Fratti stated that Prodexpo Moscow 2014 is a «great fair, from all respects, for trade and Uruguay’s image». He explained that many Russian clients have approached the stand to consult INAC’s officials and private entrepreneurs, «which led to a good sale of variety meats and high value cuts».
«It is a very useful fair to check the magnitude of the Russian market and become acquainted with our competitors», said Fratti to the Secretariat of Communications. “We shall continue working to ensure that potential buyers approach us”, he detailed.
In addition, he said that visitors to the stand were surprised and took a liking to the connection of the meat industry image to the SODRE ballet, «because in Russia, ballet is the same as soccer to us». He indicated that probably in September there is a performance of the corps de ballet in the Bolshoi theater in Moscow, where there will also be Uruguayan beef sampling.
He also underscored the meeting held with the director of the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Sergey Dankvert, and the Uruguayan ambassador in Russia, Aníbal Cabral.
“The fact that Dankvert came exclusively to our stand and met with us is a demonstration of the excellent political and commercial relationship”, said the official. He added that after the meeting, «we see a promising outlook with regard to being able to sell national products of higher quality and price to Russia».
The head of INAC remarked «that there are chances of creating a joint Uruguay-Russia committee that will work on boosting trade». He added that if high quality meat is defined, the product value in the Russian market will be considerably higher, reaching US$ 8,000 a ton «for meat that is intended for direct consumption».
A beef sampling event was held at the Ararat Hyatt hotel, located at Moscow’s Red Square. Russian authorities, ambassador Cabral, clients of Uruguayan meat packing houses and Bolshoi dancers enjoyed the quality of the product.
For this event, 60 kilograms of boneless rib-eye steak were prepared.
Fratti also reported that an agreement with a San Petersburg-based school of international chefs is under consideration. Said school has a chain of 60 restaurants, and the idea is «to enable them to become familiarized with the process of our meat,to be used in their facilities and experience the advantages of cooking with high quality meat cuts».
Source: Presidency
