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Sufficient GMO-free rapeseed available: Adequate payment for quality!
The German Association for Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG) and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL) warn against an unjustified premature suspension of GMO-free compound feed and instead demand adequate payment for the increased costs for producers.
VLOG: No shortage of rapeseed meal in sight
Alexander Hissting, VLOG Managing Director, says: "Again and again it is claimed these days that GMO-free feed is supposedly already, or will be very soon, no longer available. But all the facts speak against this. According to the latest harvest forecasts by DRV, AMI and the EU Commission, this year's rapeseed harvest in Germany is likely to be around 3.8 to 4 million tonnes, i.e. 0.3 to 0.5 million tonnes more than in 2020. This alone would mathematically compensate for possible declines in imports from Ukraine. Imports from Ukraine recently accounted for only about 10 percent of the total amount of rapeseed processed in Germany. And the word from Ukraine is that there will be no decline in exports at all in 2022.
A market expert from Germany assumes such a large availability of rapeseed for this autumn that the local crushing plants will rather have a problem of processing the quantities. A shortage of meal is definitely not to be expected.
Lack of availability is therefore no reason to drop out of "Ohne Gentechnik" (Non-GMO) now or to prepare for it. However, as in many other areas, costs have risen sharply. Producers must not be left behind, but must be paid adequately.
Ukrainian expert Kushnir: Rapeseed exports to remain the same in 2022
Vitaly Kushnir, advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture and managing director of ATK Group, that also owns the AdamPol soybean mill, adds on the subject of rapeseed meal availability from Ukraine: "I expect exports of about 2 million tonnes of rapeseed from the 2022 harvest from Ukraine to the EU, out of a total production of about 2.5 million tonnes. This would mean that Ukraine would export the same amount of rapeseed to the EU as before. However, for logistical reasons the export will now be spread over a longer period. Until now, the export of rapeseed would always occur over the course of only three months."
AbL: Pay farmers adequately for quality milk
Ottmar Ilchmann, AbL milk spokesman, continues: "Especially against the background of possible bottlenecks, it is important to maintain and develop quality, but no longer to sell it for cheap. Until now, pasture milk, for example, has always been available in sufficient quantities. We farmers have always heard the argument that we are producing this quality anyway. We like to produce it and we do it out of conviction. However, we have not been paid for the higher standards at all, or hardly at all. This also applies to the additional costs for GMO-free milk. The dairies are improving their image, but they are not lobbying the market for adequate payment for their suppliers. GMO-free feed is available in sufficient quantities. Now the dairies can and must use the market signals to implement higher prices and pay farmers adequately for their quality milk. The clear majority of consumers want to have their food ‘GMO-free‘."
AbL: Sufficient GMO-free rapeseed available. Pay for quality! (in German)
top agrar: GMO-free dairy products: Raiffeisen association sees danger of consumer deception (in German)
top agrar: VLOG: DMK offers contract pause (in German)
Sufficient feed available: Remaining within the "Ohne Gentechnik" system