Latvia to lose smoked meat processing capacity
Major Latvian meat processor Rubeņi has already confirmed it will discontinue meat product production due to the EU legislation, which will come into force in September 2014.
Rubeņi CEO Juris Skriveris said: “Rubeņi uses wood for the production of smoked products, and we simply cannot meet the new requirements on the maximum permissible content of benzopyrene. So the company now plans, in a timely manner, to pay its suppliers and prepare to stop the production cycle.”
Skriveris added that similar problems had hit a number of other meat processing companies in Latvia.
“The closure of our company alone means 66 people will lose their jobs,” said Skriveris. “The Latvian State should look to protect national producers.”
According to official statistics, in 2012 Rubeņi’s turnover amounted to €2.55m, while profit was €45,600, which makes it a major meat processor in the small Baltic country.
Independent experts estimate that, in total, about 60% of Latvian smoked meat producers have still not modernised their systems, so they are unable to meet EU regulations on the content of harmful substances. According to estimates from Latvia’s Meat Processors Association, half of those businesses cannot make the necessary modifications without government support, so they will be probably forced to close. However, Latvia’s agricultural authorities have not revealed whether support will be allocated or not.
From early September, the maximum allowable rate of benzopyrene content will be reduced from 5micrograms (mg)/kg to 2mg/kg of meat product. The total permissible content of benzanthracene and benzofluoranthene will be reduced from 30mg/kg to 12mg/kg of product.
