With a total volume of 592,100 tonnes, Russian imports of fresh and frozen pig meat in 2013 were 18 per cent lower than the year before, according to the German meat association, VDF.

Almost all exporting countries were affected by the cut-backs through trade restrictions and bans on some companies. The exception was Denmark, where the volume exported to Russia was 46 per cent higher than in 2012 at 88,400 tonnes. Spain's volume fell by more than 40 per cent to 35,200 tonnes.

Russian imports of German pig meat were 81,600 in 2013, just six per cent lower from the previous year.

Non-EU countries experienced mixed fortunes in their trade with Russia last year. Deliveries from Canada were down 56 per cent to 78,400 tonnes, while the volume from the US stood at just 5,800 tonnes - down 82,000 tonnes or 93 per cent from 2012.

Imports from Brazil in 2013 were stable at 124,200 tonnes - up 1.6 per cent or 1,900 tonnes from the previous year.

As a result of these changes, the EU increased its share of Russian pig meat imports to just over 60 per cent. However, if the Russian ban on EU pig meat is maintained for any length of time, the other exporting countries are likely to step in and fill the gap in Russian pork demand.