Illegal import of black caviar may exceed legal production volumes in Russia

Black caviar production in Russia reached a record level in 2023. At the same time, manufacturers note that the volume of production will not lead to a decrease in prices for the product, because at the same time the cost of production, including logistics costs, has increased. Since the beginning of 2023, 33 tons of sturgeon caviar have been released in Russia, which is one and a half times higher than the level of 2017 and, in general, is the maximum over the past six years. According to the All-Russian Association of Fisheries (VARPE), which sfera.fm has reviewed, in total, about 50 tons of black caviar will be produced by the end of the year. At the same time, the level of consumption of black caviar in Russia is 80 tons annually. That is, about 30 tons of product are imported into Russia from China and Latin American countries. However, VARPE believes that the actual level of import of black caviar can be many times higher, and even exceed the level of legal production of ...