25
Trade in and from the Soviet Union and the CIS republics
As stated, the Soviet Union and its successors Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan emerge from the data
compiled by WCMC as some of the main exporting countries for raw musk. According to the data, the
Soviet Union exported 364.16 kg of raw musk, based on reports from countries of import, and 283.02 kg,
according to reports from the Soviet Union itself, in the period 1978-92 (Figure 5). The largest quantities
were exported in the years 1985-88.
Figure 5
Quantities of raw musk exported from the Soviet Union in the period 1978-92, as reported by the
Soviet Union itself and by importing countries and territories
Source: WCMC, January 1998.
The Soviet Union’s main partners in the musk trade, 1978-92, were Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and
France (see Table 6).
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan were the only CIS
States that were reported to be trading in musk. According to WCMC data, Russia exported 112.88 kg of
raw musk, according to the countries of import, and 172.67 kg, according to Russia itself, during the
period 1992-96 (see Figure 6 ). The rise in exports during 1995 is significant.
Russia’s musk trading partners from 1992 to 1996 were Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, China,
Germany and Switzerland (see Table 6). Germany and Switzerland have only been involved in the world
trade in musk since the early 1990s, but became leaders in the trade with Russia after just a few years.
In 1994, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan exported 125 kg and 126 kg of raw musk, respectively, as reported
by the sole country of import, South Korea (see Table 6).
0
20
40
60
80
100
'92
'91
'90
'89
'88
'87
'86
'85
'84
'83
'82
'81
'80
'79
'78
Year
Exported musk (Kg)
Imports reported
Exports reported
26
Figure 6
Quantities of raw musk exported from Russia in the period 1992-96, as reported by Russia itself
and by importing countries and territories
Source: WCMC, January 1998.
Russia’s export quotas for musk
Russia first informed the CITES Secretariat of its annual export quotas for musk in 1995. These quotas
are communicated to the Parties by the Secretariat in the form of Notifications, according to which
Russia’s export quotas have included the following:
1995: 70 kg musk, of which 50 kg was to be from 6000 musk deer in 1995 and 20 kg from previous years
(Notification No. 874)
1996: 40 kg musk (Notification No. 916)
1997: 40 kg musk (Notification No. 994)
1998: 35 kg musk (Notification No. 1998/07)
Total exports from Russia in 1996 did not exceed the annual export quota according to the available CITES
trade data (see Figure 6). In 1995, however, Russia’s own export data suggest that the exported volume
exceeded the quota for that year by about 25 kg.
It is possible that the gradually falling export quotas reflect the fact that Siberian Musk Deer populations
in the territory of present-day Russia could have declined by up to 50-60% since 1990-93, to current levels
of between 53 000 and 60 000 individuals (Prikhod‘ko, 1997) (see Population in the Soviet Union and
Russia).
Trade to and from Germany, France and Switzerland
Germany, France and Switzerland are the only countries in Europe which report importing musk. Data on
France’s trade in musk have been available since 1980. Switzerland and Germany first appeared in CITES
0
20
40
60
80
100
'96
'95
'94
'93
'92
Year
Exported musk (Kg)
Imports reported
Exports reported