European Union - Pork reflection day

The representatives of the European farmers organisations, the meat industry and the feed industry highlighted the case for a comprehensive action plan seeking to move the EU pig sector out of the present crisis situation. They also insisted on the need to take a long-term approach to reinforce the long-term viability of the pig sector enhancing its capacity to supply sustainable, competitive pork to consumers in the EU and on world markets.

They are proposing the following short-term, mid-term and long-term measures to maintain and develop the EU pork sector’ position as a world leader:

1. Short term / Key focus on reduction of production cost and effective market manegment measures

There are basically three categories of feed materials rich in protein:
. Grain legumes (so called protein crops): peas, beans, lupins, soya (being also an oilseed)
. Co-products from the processing of oilseeds and grains: soybean meal, rapeseed meal, o

I . Short-term actions to overcome the present market crisis:

• Strengthen effective market management tools and put measures in place to reduce excessive price volatility for the pig sector both for feed and meat and meat products.
• Implement an EU wide protein plan to ensure adequate supplies of protein-rich feed to pig farmers at competitive prices, including
  • incentives to increase vegetable protein production in the EU,
  • the adoption of a GM “technical solution”
  • the lifting of the feed ban for processed animal proteins in pig feed

• Don’t hamper competitiveness by imposing restrictive measures that EU cannot impose on third countries.

II. Mid-term actions to improve competitiveness and profitability of the pig sector :

• Grant pork “sensitive product” status in any ongoing or upcoming EU trade negotiation.
• Ensure a level-playing field with third-country competitors.
• Increase efforts to capture and increase market share for EU pork exports in growth markets, particular in South-East Asia.
  

III. Long-term actions to ensure sustainability and viability of pork production in the EU

• Foster product innovation and modernisation in the pork production value chain
• Focus on private and public R&D programmes seeking to improve the knowledge base and to develop & adapt new technologies and their dissemination in the EU pig sector