0
According to a LEI Wageningen report, if the Netherlands together with Germany, France, Poland and Hungary would choose for an opt-out of the use of genetically modified (GM) soy in animal feed, then the current use of soy products in animal feed in these five countries must decrease by 40 to 50% to ensure that the demand for non-GM soy from the European Union (EU) does not exceed the available amount on the world market. Mid-term (3 to 5 years) additional costs for the Dutch animal husbandry due to more expensive non-GM soy and alternative protein sources, are estimated at €60 to €100m per year, of which about 80% for the poultry sector. The number of animals and productivity of the animals is assumed to be not affected.
To replace 1,557 thousand tonnes of GM soybean meal that is currently used in Dutch animal feed by a single alternative protein source, a similar amount of non-GM soybean meal is needed, or 2,985 thousand tonnes of rapeseed meal, or 4,268 thousand tonnes of sunflower meal, or 15,878 thousand tonnes of barley or 17,259 thousand tonnes of wheat. To produce this amount an additional 46 to 3,349 thousand hectares of cultivation area is needed above the current soy cultivation area, depending on the mix of non-GM soy and alternative protein sources that will be used in animal feed.
Friday December 18, 2015/ LEI Wageningen/ Netherlands.
http://www.wageningenur.nl
