Supply of organic soy from EU production for more sustainability

Abstract

The volume of organic production of processed animal products is steadily increasing in Germany and other EU countries. The EU Commission expects a quota of up to 30 percent by 2030. This has positive effects on the environ-ment, climate, biodiversity and animal welfare. An increase in organic farm-ing also has a direct impact on reducing and eliminating the use of non-organic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, genetically modified organisms and the use of antibiotics. Egg production in particular is experiencing high growth rates in the organic sector, while other processing sectors have so far only been able to come up with small shares. In the case of fattening poultry and pigs, this is still well below 2%, while eggs have already reached over 15%, and the trend is up-wards. Protein requirements are met primarily by soybeans, but other protein sources such as legumes and, above all, sunflowers and rapeseed have now also be-come increasingly important. Sustainability and CO2 reduction are at the center of public interest. The origin of soy from European cultivation is therefore of great importance. This significantly reduces the impact on the climate. The previous main suppliers in South America are waiting with smaller market shares. This mainly affects the organic sector, while conventional processing continues to rely on non-European origins for cost reasons.