Opinions Cor Pierik
More meat substitutes, does that mean less meat?
Quite a bit has been written about meat and meat substitutes in recent weeks. The market for meat substitutes is undeniably growing at the moment, but does this also mean that the meat market is shrinking at a similar pace?
Figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) regarding the slaughter per animal species show that both the number of slaughters and the slaughtered weight in 2018 were higher than in 2017. More animals were slaughtered in 2018 (+3,5%) and in addition the carcase weight was approximately 0,4% higher. In the first half of this year there was 0,3% less slaughter and the slaughtered weight was 0,9% lower than 1 year previously.
No contraction in trade
On the other hand, figures on international trade show that the trade in meat and meat products is showing no contraction. In 2018, €4,7 billion worth of meat and meat products were imported and exports amounted to €8,8 billion. In the first 5 months of this year, the import value increased by 4% and the export value of meat was 8% higher than 1 year earlier. Meat exports to China, Japan and Vietnam in particular are rising sharply.
The Netherlands, the second largest agricultural exporter in the world, therefore imports €5 billion worth of meat and meat products. Apparently it is cheaper for Dutch meat processors and sellers to buy meat abroad. In addition, meat exports amount to almost €9 billion. This makes meat the third most important export product in agriculture and horticulture (after floriculture and the dairy sector). It outlines the size and importance of the meat sector. It also indicates that there is currently no significant contraction in the meat sector.
No changes?
This does not mean that there are no changes. For example, consumers are increasingly buying meat with a sustainability label. There are also various initiatives to better show consumers where the meat comes from and what animal life used to be like. More transparency, more experience, more stories, more attention to animal welfare and more attention to the climate impact should give consumers a better picture of the consumption of meat and meat substitutes. One is not necessarily good and the other bad.
Nevertheless, some interesting questions remain. As a statistician and livestock farmer, I would also like to know how the meat consumption pattern is developing. For example, the following questions still haunt me: who chooses which meat products and which meat substitutes and why? Who buys meat that ends up being thrown away and why? What is a fair price for meat and does the margin build-up in the chain do justice to the risks and efforts made?
Cor Pierik
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