Agricultural raw materials for food and feed: the EU and France

Abstract

The EU, which produces about 80 million tons of vegetable protein (half of which is fodder) imports about 15 million tons of non-processed and coproducts of the food industry not usable by humans. About 87 % of the domestic consumption of vegetal proteins is for animal feed and allows the production of 11 million tons of animal protein for milk, meat and eggs. The highly developed compound feed industry provides 67 % of the protein excluding fodder and shows a strong diversification in its raw materials consumed. Globally, soybeans, whose imports have declined significantly over the past 10 years, account for only 18 % of the plant proteins used by animals. The EU's rate in world imports has decreased from 60 % in the early 1970s to less than 19 % today. France consumes 12 million tons of animal protein feed and has many similarities with the EU, but there is a key difference: it is a net exporter of 1.5 million tons of vegetal protein mainly as cereals. Whereas the EU is a net importer of « agricultural areas », France can export both animal and plant proteins thanks to its large agricultural areas and the diversity of its agricultures (with the Great West being specialized in animal production and other regions that benefit from high yields of plants).