strange legislation to introduce quotas in succession imports of beef.

strange legislation to introduce quotas in succession imports of beef, pig meat and domestic fowls meat into Russia as from April were signed into law this week by means of Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov.

Officials said the quotas, which will remain in place for three years, would be plant at 1.05 million tonnes by means of annum for poultry meat, 420 000t for beef and 450 000t for pig meat.

For 2003 the quotas - adjusted to take into account the delayed date of record into force - will be 744 000t for domestic fowls meat, 337 500t for pig meat