2011년 초, 러시아 정부는 캐비어의 유럽 수출 금지 조치를 종료했습니다.

러시아 정부는 아조프해와 카스피해에서 철갑상어 남획과 밀렵을 막기 위해 2002년에 이 금지령을 부과했습니다. 소련 시대에는 세계에서 가장 탐나는 캐비어인 블랙 캐비아의 주요 공급원이 아조프해와 카스피해였습니다. 소련 붕괴 이후 러시아를 휩쓴 경제 대혼란과 함께 러시아 캐비어 시장은 밀렵꾼과 불법 남획이 지배하게 되었습니다. 1980년대 후반부터 2010년까지 아조프해와 카스피해의 철갑상어 개체수는 약 40배 감소했습니다.

Russia may face some challenges in its re-entry to the caviar market.

Russia faces competition from Iran, which emerged as the top exporter of black caviar to Europe during the nine-year period of Russia’s export ban.  Israel also exports caviar, selling about 3000 kg of caviar in 2011.  Israel, in contrast to Russia, is not limited by internal export regulations, as caviar cannot be sold in Israel due to religious laws.  The Russian law only allows 150 kilos of black caviar to be exported annually to Europe.  The demand for black caviar is high, and the limited supply of Russian caviar exports may not be able to fully meet this demand, allowing competitors to stay in business. Russia’s nine-year exit from the European caviar market may have allowed competing markets such as those of Iran and Israel to develop loyal relationships with consumers.  However, Russian caviar’s historical reputation may help it regain its market share.

철갑상어 농장은 야생 철갑상어에 대한 대안으로 러시아에서 등장했습니다.

The amount of these farms is expected to rise.  As the number of these farms grows, Russia may eventually regain its world market share of black caviar exports.  It takes about seven years to raise a sturgeon, and Russian’s nine year ban has provided time to raise new sturgeon.  These farms may eventually make up a major source of exported Russian caviar, supplemented by some wild sturgeon-derived caviar.  As caviar production shifts to farms and increasingly stringent penalties on poachers decrease illegal poaching of wild sturgeon, these wild sturgeon may be given an opportunity to repopulate and eventually allow Russia to increase its quota on wild sturgeon-derived caviar.

정치적 긴장으로 인해 러시아의 캐비어 시장 복귀가 복잡해질 수도 있습니다.

The European Union has regulations regarding aquacultured products, and in past years, the Russian government has refused to sign certain trade agreements.  In addition to Russia, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan surround the Caspian Sea, which may prevent Russia from fully capitalizing on the sturgeon in the Caspian Sea.  Russia has gotten into conflicts with former Soviet republics that have been seeking to re-establish their national identities, and a paucity of agreements among these countries may pose hurdles in the effort to repopulate the wild sturgeon population.  The United States may be another potential for Russian black caviar exports, but political disagreements between these two countries may make it difficult for Russia to take full advantage of the U.S. market, allowing exporters such as Israel, which maintains friendly relations with the U.S., to take up more of the U.S. market share.