Head of Rosselkhoznadzor Sergei Dankvert recently said: “Rosselkhoznadzor considers the possibility of expanding the list of Brazilian companies certified to export to Russia as very problematic, because of the lack of guarantees provided by the Veterinary Service of Brazil.

“During the inspections conducted in 2010 and 2011, Russian veterinary experts gave a negative assessment to the majority of inspected enterprises in Brazil. It is possible that, by the end of the next inspection in Brazil, we could introduce new restrictions on the supply of products from the remaining states.”

Russian veterinarians are due to conduct inspections in mid-May in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goias.

Mr Dankvert said: “It should be noted that the inefficiency of the veterinary services in Brazil makes it impossible to resolve issues arising with companies that supply meat products to the Russian market in a rapid and expeditious manner.”

According to Rosselkhoznadzor, Brazil supplied 227,000 tonnes of beef to Russia in 2011, down 19 per cent on 2010; 134,000 tonnes of pork (-40 per cent); and 70,000 tonnes of poultry meat (-50 per cent).

Any further suspension of trade from additional states will put further downward pressure on Brazilian exports to Russia.