MOSCOW, March 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia will ban the import of refrigerated beef from Australia as of March 31 over the use of a growth stimulant, trenbolone, Alexei Alexeyenko, an aide to the head of the Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor says.

Russia’s veterinary inspection detected trenbolone used in some countries, but banned in member-states of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, in beef supplied to Russia from Australia in February 2014 after the latter obliged not to use this stimulant in its exports.

Rosselkhoznadzor chief Sergei Dankvert said Russia continued to find trenbolone in Australia’s beef supplies and might take serious measures for non-compliance with obligations.

“Minimal measures are restrictions on the import of refrigerated meat that we have no time to check on trenbolone and maximal ones - a full ban on beef supplies from Australia,” he said.

The Russian agricultural watchdog banned the import of meat byproducts from Australia on January 27, 2014. Australia accounts for around 5% of Russia’s total import of beef and beef byproducts. In general, last year Russia exported around 611 tonnes of beef. The main exporters are Latin American countries - Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.