The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
EU agriculture shrugs off crisis
In its latest short-term market forecasts the European Commission paints an optimistic picture for the farming and food industry. It says it has been less badly affected than others by the coronavirus crisis, with exports holding up well.
While overall EU exports fell by 20% from January to March, agri exports rose by 5% compared to the first quarter of 2019.
Food imports fell by around 2%, meaning the EU’S agri balance of trade improved.
The report says that for most commodities production for 2020 will be around where it was before the crisis, with beef an exception.
Export growth was biggest to China, thanks to demand for pigmeat because of its swine fever problems.
These are the first EU trade figures that show the impact of Brexit, with UK exports to the EU down 11%, while EU27 exports to the UK were down by 8%.
A battle has broken out in France over its ban on ‘meaty’ terms to describe vegetarian and vegan products.
Terms like sausages, burgers, cheese or milk cannot be used to describe plant-based products on the grounds that doing so misleads consumers.
Securing this was seen as a victory for farmers and food lovers, but now the self-styled European Vegetarian Union has hit back.
It has accused French legislators of treating consumers as “gullible” because of an assumption they cannot make informed choices.
The lobby group says it is clear from descriptions such as vegan sausage and the list of ingredients when products are plant based.
A report for the European Commission, prepared by the London
School of Economics, has concluded that the controversial trade deal between the EU and the Mercosur countries of South America will have a limited impact on European agriculture.
This conclusion will not go down well with the farming lobby, which has made much of the threat to beef as a result of zero and reduced tariffs, particularly for Brazil.
The report says EU dairy businesses would gain from export opportunities in South America, and while beef would lose out, the report claims imports would only trigger an EU output drop of around 1%.
It adds that for both sides the overall impact of the deal would be positive.
The Mercosur deal is blocked because it must be ratified by all member states and Austria is holding out on environmental grounds.