en.Wedoany.com Reported - Russian beef prices have risen 15.58% over the past year, reaching 744.9 rubles per kilogram, making it the meat variety with the largest price increase. Chicken prices rose 7.31% to 243.78 rubles per kilogram over the same period, pork rose 1.9% to 392.22 rubles per kilogram, and lamb rose 0.08% to 815.53 rubles per kilogram. Canned meat for infants rose to 1,300 rubles per kilogram (an increase of 6.41%), semi-smoked and boiled-smoked sausages rose to 724.33 rubles per kilogram (an increase of 3.61%), boiled sausages rose to 576.62 rubles per kilogram (an increase of 2.72%), and small sausages and short thick sausages rose to 550.6 rubles per kilogram (an increase of 2.71%).
The Russian Ministry of Agriculture explained to Kommersant that the growth rate of beef production costs and supply is constrained by the capital intensity and long payback period of the project, and that state support measures are currently being implemented. The ministry noted that the domestic meat market remains saturated, with 2025 data showing a self-sufficiency rate exceeding 100%, higher than the 85% threshold set by the Food Security Doctrine.
Sergey Yushin, President of the National Meat Association, stated that beef production remains the most costly category among major meats, with a production cycle of up to three years and requiring more investment than the pig or poultry industries. Dmitry Vostrikov, Executive Director of the Rusprodsoyuz association, added that young bulls need to be raised for 14-18 months, while broilers reach market weight in 35-40 days and pigs in 6-8 months. During this period, costs for feed, fuel, veterinary drugs, and wages continue to rise.
From January to March 2026, the cattle population decreased by 3.9% year-on-year, and beef production fell by 5.7% year-on-year, due to a reduction in livestock numbers in personal subsidiary plots and dairy farming as milk yields increased. Yushin pointed out that this has led to a decrease in the number of young bulls available for fattening, limiting beef supply. Domestic production shortfalls are compensated by imports, but supplies from Belarus and South American countries, as well as current import preferential measures, have failed to curb price increases, with global beef prices currently hitting record highs. Experts also stated that the outbreak of livestock diseases in Siberia has not affected prices across Russia.
Miratorg stated that duty-free beef imports have intensified competition with Russian producers, leading to a contraction in domestic production, with imported beef accounting for nearly 25% of consumption. Yushin believes that without measures to restore the cattle population and expand production, Russia's dependence on imported supplies will only increase. Experts noted that despite current high prices, Russia's per capita annual beef consumption is about 14 kilograms, higher than the global average of 8.7 kilograms.
Albert Davleev, President of Agrifood Strategies, citing the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2026-2035 report, said that global beef and lamb production is experiencing a severe crisis due to declining livestock numbers, leading to price increases in almost all countries. Russia imports large quantities of beef duty-free within a quota framework. Forecasts indicate that most countries are expected to begin restoring livestock numbers from the end of 2026, which could lead to some price declines in the future.
Davleev commented to Agroinvestor that Russia will see an accelerated trend of red meat being replaced by poultry, but poultry production is not growing. Poultry production was negative in the first half of 2026, putting additional pressure on beef prices, as chicken and turkey cannot fully replace the missing beef volume, keeping prices high. Since the cattle population cannot physically recover within two years, market demand for imports may increase, while the recovery of foreign livestock numbers is at least a medium-term issue.
Previously, Agroinvestor reported that Miratorg believes beef cattle farming is unprofitable, and the company's current task is to ensure the smooth operation of all existing enterprises, in which it has invested 580 billion rubles since 2005, and to shift land from beef cattle farming to more profitable crop cultivation. Viktor Linnik, President of the agricultural holding company, stated in an interview with Agroexpert that the company is bringing related enterprises to design capacity, but the beef cattle farming projects implemented since 2012 are not economically viable under current fundamental factors, and after review, the released land has been used for commercial crop cultivation.
