Cross-border salmon exports
The salmon export company Kirkenes Processing was visited by Russian veterinary inspectors this week. If approved by the Russians, the company will be able to export major volumes of salmon across the nearby Russian border.
For a long time Kirkenes Processing, which is part of the Villa Organic group, has been waiting for Russian authorities to approve their factory outside of Kirkenes for Russian export. Svein Ruud from Kirkenes Processing confirms to BarentsObserver that Russian vets visited the factory last week. However, the company is yet not given any notice of the veterinaries’ conclusions. For Kirkenes Processing it is of high importance to get the export approval.
– With our close proximity to Russia, it is the most natural export market for our products, says Ruud.
Their processing factory is located only 15 minutes drive from the Norwegian-Russian border. Because of stricter Russian import regulations, Norwegian fish processing factories have been excluded from the Russian market for several years. During the last year Russian authorities have controlled and approved several factories in Norway. Now it seems like Kirkenes Processing also will be on the list of approved factories.
– Russia is Norway’s most important market for fish export. If we are approved for Russian export I believe that half of our production will be sent to the Russian market, says Ruud.
When the factory reaches full production they will produce somewhere between 12.000 and 15.000 tons of salmon per year.
– At full production I believe we could send 5-6 trucks per day across the Norwegian-Russian border, fully loaded with salmon for the Russian market.
