News Meat sector
German agriculture minister thinks meat is too cheap
Julia Klöckner, the German Minister of Agriculture, has indicated that, according to her, the meat price in Germany is too low. She emphasizes that meat does not have to become a luxury product, but the current position as a cheap by-product for daily consumption is, in her view, not realistic and sustainable.
According to the minister, advertising cheap meat is no longer acceptable. It does not match the appreciation for the product and the sustainable thinking of Germany, the sector and the associated product. Part of the driving force behind this statement is the situation in the German slaughterhouses, where many employees were infected with the corona virus. The question now arises as to whether keeping the low prices is worth it compared to the meager measures that have been taken as a result.
Measures
Meat can only be cheaply available on the shelves if it is also produced 'cheaply'. Now that the corona virus is spreading in various slaughterhouses, the work in slaughterhouses is increasingly being put under a magnifying glass. Meanwhile, a reform is underway in which slaughterhouses give up temporary workers by taking them on under their own contracts. These kinds of measures naturally entail additional costs, which in turn translate into the consumer price.
In addition to this reform, Klöckner wants to implement several measures to reduce the serious, underlying consequences of the downward pressure on meat prices. She is referring to animal welfare, working conditions in slaughterhouses and farmers' incomes. The minister has already taken a step in this direction by proposing an animal welfare levy to compensate livestock farmers for the costs involved in optimizing their company for animal welfare. In addition, it is to compensate for foreign competition and she would like to introduce European animal welfare labels on meat products.
Meat industry
According to the association of the meat industry (VDF), the sector is open to change. The first steps have already been taken by, among other things, banning temporary workers. In addition, the representative expects traders, sellers and consumers to be willing to go along with the price increase.
Jorine Cosse
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