France to boost cultivation of high protein crops

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Publish time: 17th December, 2014      Source: www.cnchemicals.com
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December 17, 2014
   

   

France to boost cultivation of high protein crops

   

   

   

France is investing in a US$190 million plan to increase the cultivation of high protein feed crops, aimed at reducing its dependence on imports of South American soybean.

   

   

French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll said Paris would allocate about 150 million euros (US$190 million) of European Union subsidies per year until 2020 to boost protein crops. 98 million euros would be set aside to promote the growth of fodder by livestock farmers and another 49 million would be given to crop growers.

   

   

"On the international market, feed protein flows towards Asia are more and more important. The security of supplies for Europe is no longer guaranteed at mid and long-term," Le Foll told Reuters.

   

   

With a subsidy of a minimum 100 euros per hectare France hopes to nearly triple the land for protein crops, such as peas, clovers or alfalfas, to 750,000 hectares, Le Foll added. The subsidy comes at a time when there is a drop in land devoted to protein crops due mainly to their fragility and their lack of competitiveness compared to grains.

   

   

"It won't make us 100% self-sufficient but it will allow us to raise our fodder autonomy significantly," Le Foll said.

   

   

Brazil and Argentina are France'smain suppliers of animal feed protein, mainly in the form of soymeal.