Election Politics Set to Limit Mongolia’s EAEU Meat Export Gains

The Eurasian economic union (EAEU) trade agreement that entered force on July 22 opened Mongolia's best meat export opportunity in years. Tariff-free access to a Russian market marks the country’s most significant commercial opening in years. 

But the agreement will likely deliver far less than policymakers imagine. The constraint is not tariffs or livestock recovery. It is politics.

Photo by David Foodphototasty on Unsplash

Meat is Mongolia's dietary staple and a politically explosive commodity. Prices have surged. Mutton is up 96 percent since 2019 and beef up 125 percent. Inflation hit 12 percent in June, driven partly by food costs spiraling faster than wages.

These price spikes have already destabilized urban politics. The replacement of Ulaanbaatar's mayor earlier this year reflected, in part, voter anger over rising meat prices. 

Want to read more?

Subscribe to mongoliaweekly.org to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now