I know there are some around who saw the recent collapse of the world trade talks as a good outcome for European agriculture, but I am not so
sure - particularly for the
meat sector. Surely what we want is a thriving market, not a shrinking one.
Since the beginning of the year meat prices have soared. The latest data on household meat purchases shows that consumers are trading down - be it to mince and burgers or towards pork and poultry. Trading down is also evident
in both the catering and manufacturing sectors.
The debate on food security will intensify in the months to come. To my mind, it is in the consumer's interest to have choices, so both domestic production and imports need to be encouraged.
On the domestic front, the greatest problem we face is not competition from imports but the lack of young blood in farming. It is welcome that the European Parliament is looking at this issue. In the EU, less than 7% of farms are run by under 35-year-olds and this share is declining. In contrast, over 65-year-olds account for one-third and are on the increase.
On the import side, the collapse of world trade talks is likely to mean the restart of
EU talks with the South American countries on a bilateral trade deal. If this happens, we will become increasingly reliant on a small number of suppliers.
IMTA believes that any new quotas should be open to any country, allowing the market
to determine the best source
of supply.
I don't want beef and lamb to become niche products in the EU, but what happened in Geneva the other week may just have brought it one
step closer.
Liz Murphy
International Meat Trade Association