Today in Russian Business – March 30, 2011

The WSJ writes on the sixteen Russian companies hoping to making initial public offerings this year, including Euroset, Nomos, and Rusagro: ‘but the appetite for new Russian stock is nowhere near as large as in 2007‘.  Human rights concerns are apparently a factor in whether or not the U.S. Congress will approve permanent normal trade relations with Russia: ‘People are being killed there for exercising their basic rights.‘  Following a 21% rise in 2010 profit, Cherkizovo is increasing its clout on the food sector by buying up poultry farmer Mosselprom.  Regulations for beer brewing and sale may be tightened.  The grain harvest sown this year will be a million hectares more than last year.  Meanwhile, its grain export ban will be extended, ‘potentially well into 2012‘, as terms for distribution of current stockpiles are set out.  Russia says it has closed a major channel of illegal meat imports from Brazil and Argentina that it believes sold $352 million worth of meat to Russia’s factories, markets, and chain stores.  Moscow’s Foreign Ministry denies that there are any plans to introduce a biometric requirement for visa applications, contrary to reports from the embassy in London.