HELSINKI, Jan. 16 -- The Finnish meat industry is authorized to export pork to China, the country's Agriculture Ministry confirmed on Friday.

Atria and HKScan, two Finnish companies, have gained permits to export pork to China, according to local media reports.

Finnish Agriculture Minister Petteri Orpo said the meat exports to China may, in the long term, offset the losses caused by import restrictions levied by Russia.

Exports to China will be viable despite the costs of the long transportation chain, local media reported.

Markku Hirvijarvi, a director from Atria, said the decision was "a very positive message", Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported.

Last summer, Chinese officials toured Finland and inspected slaughterhouses and meat processing facilities.

Besides pork, the Finnish food industries are also seeking possibilities of exporting other food products. However, any fast relief to the dairy sector is not expected from the Chinese market, Yle reported.

The Finnish dairy industry has been hard hit by Russian import restrictions, levied as anti-EU countermeasures after the crisis in Ukraine.