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Feed production
FEFAC predicts 2.2 percent fall in compound feed production
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Concerning EU pig feed production, 020 EU compound feed NUMBERS IN BRIEF a decrease of 1.1 percent has been production has been • EU Feed production in 2020 forecast. adversely affected by the 161.4 million tonnes Spreading African Swine Fever spread of animal diseases • Cattle feed down 2.9 triggered the Chinese import ban on pig and is indirectly impacted percent meat from Germany. Spain can only by COVID-19, due to a • Pig feed down 1.1 percent partially replace Germany in exporting shift in consumer demand • Poultry feed down 2.7 to China, due to limited production for products of animal percent capacity. origin. • Overall feed production A knock-on effect of the ban is that EU compound feed production (EU 27 + down 2.2 percent on 2019 pig meat initially destined for export to UK) for farmed animals in 2020 is estimated at China will stay in Europe, impacting 161,4 million tonnes, a decrease of 2.2 percent pig feed production. On top of ASF, some Member States, (for compared to 2019, according to forecast data provided by the example, The Netherlands), are depopulating their pig herds in European Feed Manufacturers Federation, FEFAC. order to lower agricultural environmental emissions. All main feed categories are set to decrease, mainly as a Poultry feed production, is set to decrease by 2.7 percent after result of the combined indirect impact of COVID-19 affecting several years of steady increases. The poultry sector reacted to consumer demand for products of animal origin and the direct the COVID-19 lockdown measures launched in spring 2020 by effects of the spread of animal diseases (African Swine Fever, reducing its production, leading to significantly lower demand for Avian Influenza in particular). poultry feed. Cattle feed production, which is estimated to decrease by 2.9 Following a period of partial recovery during the summer percent compared to the previous year, is suffering most from the COVID-19 measures applied during the first and second waves of months, a further decrease is expected by the end of the year, mainly in Romania, Ireland and Spain. Avian influenza spreading the spread, and in particular the closure of the HORECA (Hotel/ in several parts of Europe will hamper any recovery on the Restaurant/Catering) chain. ground. The decreased demand for more expensive cuts of meat, like Poultry feed production may possibly lose its position as veal, fresh meat and added valued dairy products, have impacted leading segment EU industrial compound feed production to pig the whole supply chain. feed, for the first time after more than a decade, as a result of a Farmers have reduced usage of compound feed in their feed continuous downward trend. ratios, in order to reduce milk output and slow growth of Note: From 2016 on, FEFAC no longer includes dry petfood livestock. This was only partially compensated by rising demand production in its statistics, considering that a large part of the in Eastern Europe where drought conditions led to poor forage production was missing in national statistics. harvests.
72 | December 2020 - Milling and Grain