Russia to cut farm subsidies to meet WTO requirements

Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik had assured World Trade Organization (WTO) representatives farm subsidies would be slashed after 2012, Moscow's Kommersant daily reported Tuesday.

Skrynnik said Russian government support for farmers would not increase between now and 2012 and, from 2013-2017, they would be more than halved.

Russia has been in the final stage of WTO admission talks with the U.S., which was due to finish by Sept. 30.

According to Skrynnik, the government would allocate 9 billion U.S. dollars for farmers per year until 2012, and 4.4 billion dollars per year in 2013-2017.

"All questions about this sector have been resolved," she said, adding that the issue of poultry exports from the United States to Russia had also been solved.

Earlier this week, Russia lifted restrictions on pork imports from the U.S., France and the Netherlands.

Moscow has been chasing WTO membership for some time.
(Source:xinhua)