The head of Mexico's agricultural safety agency stated that Russia will import beef from just five of the 25 Mexican processing plants from which it had previously bought as a result of a ban on the feed additive ractopamine. However, those five plants account for more than 80 percent of Mexico’s beef exports to Russia, said Enqirue Sanchez, head of Senasica.

Officials from both countries will now meet next week to try to defuse the spat, reports Reuters.

"This morning they sent us a report with their observations, and of course we don't agree," said Sanchez, adding that the Mexican beef industry does not use the additive.

Last week Russia announced plans to ban meat imports from most Canadian and Mexican suppliers as it seeks to outlaw meat reared on ractopamine. The ban will also affect two  of the four horse plants that had exported meat to Russia.

Reuters