At the end of March, the EU agricultural cooperatives organisations, COPA-COGECA, sent their ideas on the future plan for protein crops to the European Commission. They placed emphasis on research, direct aid, “contractualisation” and biofuels.
The Commission is preparing a strategic plan for stimulating the production of protein crops in the EU and has launched a consultation between stakeholders. COPA-COGECA has presented eight recommendations allowing for the production of protein crops to be revived in Europe, where there is a considerable production shortfall.
The EU imports over 60% of the plant proteins it needs, mainly for livestock feed, especially soya seeds and cakes from South America. The 35 million tonnes of soya cakes imported annually increased in value from €9 million to €12 million between 2008 and 2015, and the growing demand from China makes the EU increasingly exposed to a rise in global rates.
Research. According to those working in the sector, research must be geared to: - improving output and crop resistance to disease, especially for crops of soya, peas, beans and sweet lupines as well as clover; - and improving the use of rapeseed and sunflower cakes.
In addition, the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is expected to maintain coupled aid for sectors that are under heightened pressure due to free trade agreements signed by the EU, and to allow the structuring of sub-sectors. COPA-COGECA also recommends other measures such as income protection or pooling funds. Agri-environmental measures should also better take into account the contribution made by protein crops to the EU’s environmental and climate objectives, while allowing member states to set exemptions in place for the targeted use of phytosanitary products and fertilisers.
Within the EU, the production of oilseed crops (peas, beans, lupines) has improved since 2013-2014 to reach a record level of 1.8 million hectares and 5 million tonnes in 2017-2018. Fifteen member states allocate voluntary coupled support to protein crops of around €99 per hectare over a surface area of 4.7 million hectares. The surface area dedicated to soya production in several member states has greatly increased and European production has reached a record level of 2.8 million tonnes in 2017-2018. However, COPA-COGECA is concerned at the ban set in place in 2018 on using phytosanitary products and fertilisers on nitrogen-fixing crops in ecological focus areas.
Contractualisation and biofuels. COPA-COGECA recommends the development of sector contractualisation ranging from large crop producers to livestock farmers through cooperatives in order to better protect farmers against price volatility and for long-term planning. It argues in favour of maintaining a targeted and stable policy for biofuels made from arable crops after 2020. All cakes from rapeseed crushing, around 12 million tonnes, is used for animal feed and in recent years has made it possible to reduce the EU’s reliance on soya imports. Finally, COPA-COGECA trusts that the use of leguminous plants will be promoted in human food. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)