A team of meat producers led by the Executive Director of
the Meat Union, M.Lkhachinbal, told the head of the President’s Office,
D.Battulga, and the President’s Advisor on Development, L.Erkhembayar, at a
meeting last week that the recent Russian ban on import of Mongolian beef had
hit the meat industry badly. Russia imposed the ban following an outbreak of
the foot and mouth disease in eastern Mongolia but has continued to buy horse
meat.

With no export, meat stocks are not moving, and there is
no fresh slaughter of animals. Fall in demand for animals has hit herders and
failure to sell the ready meat has hit the trading companies. This is the peak season for trade in animals and meat, and meat producers are unable to pay
back their bank loans. Lack of money is also making it difficult for them to
prepare the meat stock for Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan and Erdenet.

Lkhachinbal asked the officials to discuss their problems
with the President and urged steps to support affected people, to control the
spread of the foot and mouth disease, and to persuade Russia to lift the ban
early. The team complained that delay in providing vaccines had contributed to
the spread of the disease.