MVO - The Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry © All rights reserved, September 2019

Louis Braillelaan 802719 EK ZoetermeerThe Netherlands

+31 79 363 43 50koster@mvo.nlwww.mvo.nl

Netherlands: imports of soybeans and soybean meal Soybeans

and soybean mealGlobal cultivation, EU and Netherlands imports in 2018

MVO on soya sustainability and trade 1. MVO considers that the European Commission’s Protein Strategy and

the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture’s Vision on Circular Agriculture are interconnected. We acknowledge the need for continuous evaluation of our global (soya) supply chains. True Circular Agriculture can only be achieved by taking an integral and international approach.

2. The Netherlands is an international forerunner when it comes to sustainable soya sourcing. 83% of soya used in the Netherlands is compliant with the FEFAC Sourcing Guidelines, which do not permit any illegal deforestation (source: IDH/IUCN European soy monitor). According to the Dutch Feed Industry Association (www.nevedi.nl), all the soya products used for the Dutch feed industry in 2018 (1.74 million tons) are produced in agreement with these guidelines.

3. To reduce the impact of commodities on deforestation, the sustainability of imported soya at global level must continue to be promoted and linked to the SDG framework. Efforts should build on initiatives taken at both public and private (industry and NGO) level.

4. Imports from Mercosur countries (in particular Brazil and Argentina) represent 39% and 87% of the EU’s imports of soybeans and soybean meal respectively.

5. The EU-Mercosur trade agreement must ensure a level playing field through better market access for sustainably produced soya, the phasing-out of export duties and elimination of trade restrictions. This agreement will not lead to a further liberalization of EU imports of soybeans and soybean meal. The EU bound its import duties on these products at 0% more than half a century ago (GATT Dillon Round).

6. MVO believes that a possible shift towards more EU-grown soybeans should be based on market demand rather than on government subsidies and/or regulations.

7. EU’s soybean cultivation is limited and meets only 7% of its total soybean meal demand. About half (48%) of so-called ‘Donau soja’ is of non-EU origin, mainly Ukraine and Serbia. The EU is not and cannot be self-sufficient in soya. It can increase its domestic soybean cultivation but it is not realistic to expect that EU-grown soybeans can fully replace EU’s current imports.

Imports of soybeans and soybean meal 2014-2018

0

3

4

5

2

1

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

x 1,000,000 tons

x 1,000,000 tons

Source: Eurostat

Source: Eurostat / Oil World

Source: Eurostat

Imports by country of origin (2018)

Imports from:

Non-EU member statessoybeans 4.2soybean meal 2.6

EU member statessoybeans 0.1soybean meal 0.1

Exports to:

EU member statessoybeans 1.0soybean meal 3.1*

Non-EU member statessoybeans 0.0soybean meal 0.1

Processing

Crush of imported soybeans 3.3

Output soybean meal 2.5

Total: 4.2 million tons

soybeans soybean meal

Total: 2.6 million tons

24%

72%

2%2%

United States Brazil Ukraine Argentina

soybeans soybean meal

China Paraguay Other

12%

79%

4% 3%2%

* Excluding compound feed that consists of a mix of various ingredients, including soybean meal.

The Dutch feed industry used 1.74 million tons of soya products in 2018 (source: www.nevedi.nl).

Russia4.0

China 15.9

Ukraine 4.5

India 11.5

0.2

0.4

0.3

Canada 7.3

USA 123.7

Brazil 117.0

Paraguay 9.0

Argentina 56.0

EU 2.9

0.6

0.8 0.2

7.7 0.8

5.4 7.6

0.4 0.8

7.2

Soybeans and soybean meal Global soybean cultivation and EU imports of soybeans and soybean meal (2018)

EU imports of soybeans and soybean meal

Cultivation Cultivation CultivationEU imports

x 1,000,000 tons

Source: USDA Source: Eurostat / EC DG Agri Source: Oil WorldSource: Eurostat Source: Eurostat

EU import soybean mealEU import soybeansEU cultivation of soybeans

EU soybean meal demand

7%

37% 56%

Total: 32.4 million tons

EU soybean crush

21%

38%

21%

20%

Total: 15.8 million tons

Netherlands Spain Germany

Other Member States

EU imports of soybeans and soybean meal

SoybeansEU total: 15,130,434 tons (5,117,719,000 Euro)

By importing Member State

Soybean mealEU total: 18,029,559 tons (6,325,799,000 Euro)

Netherlands (4,203,917)Spain (3,349,293) Germany (2,321,211)Italy (1,499,941)Portugal (1,077,199)Other Member States (2,678,873)

28%

22%15%

10%

18%in tons

Netherlands (2,599,960)Poland (2,324,466)France (2,129,762)Spain (2,083,448)Italy (1,987,151)UK (1,613,813)Germany (1,390,087)Denmark (942,672)Slovenia (841,401)

14%

13%

12%

12%11%

8%

5%5%

9%

12%

in tons

7%

Other Member States (2,116,800)

Global soybean cultivationx 1,000,000 tons

2000 2005 2010 2015 2018

176.0220.7

264.2

316.6

362.9

soybeans soybean meal

EU imports of soybeans and soybean mealx 1,000,000 tons

0

5

10

15

20

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Sources: Cultivation data: United StatesDepartment of Agriculture (USDA)and for the EU: European Commission,DG Agriculture.

Cultivation data is based on marketing years.

Trade data: Eurostat.Trade data is based on calendar years.Threshold: 0.1 million tons.

Reproduction of (parts of) this infographic is permitted but only with acknowledgement of MVO - The Netherlands Oils and Fats Industry.