GOL(16)10051
Plant protein producers
Producers of vital protein
Protein producers
produce plant
protein for life:
Grown in all 28 EU
Member States
and on 2.5 million
hectares, protein
crops are used
to feed humans
and animals alike.
They contribute
to the three
fundamental
aspects of
sustainable land
development:
economic,
environmental and
social.
The protein crop sector is still a relatively new one, born
of the 1973 soya crisis. Thanks to genetic progress and
productivity, this production sector has been able to get
itself organised and reach a surface area of over 2,5
million hectares. Today the sector has to contend with the
challenge of developing dried distillers grain and meal, as
well as a stagnation in the productivity of legumes since the
1990s. Thanks to CAP, Protein producers wish to continue
producing these protein crops, which find their way on to
valuable food and feed outlets.
DID YOU KNOW?
Protein crops like peas
and beans are afforded
little trade protection with
customs duties under
5%.
„„Growing world trade
2/3 of world grain and legume production is
used in human foodstuffs, and world trade
of legumes has shot up by 50% since 1961.
Developing countries (such as India, China and
Bangladesh) are the main importers.
Europe has become the second biggest importer
of legumes behind China, importing a total
of 1.1 million tonnes (which equates to 10%
of world trade). Europe also exports legumes
for human consumption to destinations in the
Middle East.
„„Human food
Pulses are not just a source of plant
protein; they also provide complex
carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and
minerals.
They can be used as functional ingredients
by the agri-food industry on markets which
are niche but are posting strong growth
rates and which enjoy considerable added
value.
3.2 million tonnes of legumes are produced
each year in Europe. France accounts for 40%
of European production, followed by Germany
and the United Kingdom.
„„ Animal fodder
Legumes have two advantages which make them
conducive to the production of high-quality fodder.
Their annual output is steady and they are easy to
digest.
Peas can account for up to 30% of the grains used
in pig feed. Similarly, peas and beans can make up
between 15 and 20% of a chicken or ruminant’s
feed ration. Legumes can even partially substitute
the fishmeal used in aquaculture.
Based on animal feed consumption levels, 12
million tonnes of peas could be used in this sector
in Europe.
In addition, the development of the organic poultry
sector could also be a new and expanding outlet for
legume production.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Around 100,000 tonnes of legumes are sold
in France as functional ingredients.
„„A breakdown of
legume production
The protein pea
constitue la légumineuse à graine la plus cultivée
en Europe avec 22 à 25% de protéines dans la
matière sèche. L’alimentation animale représente
environ 69 % du débouché, notamment pour la
production porcine.
The field bean
The field bean is the second mostly widely
grown legume and is mainly used in animal feed
(ruminants but also aquaculture).
Soya
occupies third place. Around 60% of soy
production is used in animal feed, particularly
poultry and young animal feed.
The lupin
has seen production levels soar due to the new
rules under the CAP. It is a protein-rich grain
(around 35%) close to soya. It is mainly used as
on-farm feed. New ways of using for lupins in
human food are being developed, most notably
gluten-free flours.
DID YOU KNOW ?
National nutrition plans in Europe place
legumes in the carbohydrate category,
whereas in the US they are classed
alongside animal protein.
The legume family corresponds to the
botanic family Fabaceae. What makes
legumes special and what has caught
farmers’ interest is their ability to fix
nitrogen from the air.
The second feature of the legume crop is that it
is essentially a spring crop. It is therefore a crop
which can alter cropping practices, but which
has its weak points too. For instance, the ability
of the plant to take root depends to a large extent
on the weather conditions. Young plants are also
more susceptible to disease. Currently, the fungus
Aphanomyces is proving problematic and has
even caused production levels to fall in some EU
countries .
Legumes used as a standalone crop or in a mixture
play a major role in crop rotation. Their agricultural
benefit is irrefutable. The way they structure
the soil, provide nitrogen for intercrops or the
successive crop, and the way they compete against
weeds are the best examples.
Indeed, after ploughing the legume crop, the
nitrogen that is freed up will benefit the following
crops. There is a great deal of extra nitrogen due to
the mineralisation of residues, even reaching levels
of 100kg of nitrogen per Ha.
„„Cutting inputs
Based on life-cycle analyses, the environmental
footprint of legumes is characterised by a 50%
reduction in consumption of fossil fuel, 70% less
greenhouse gas emissions (N2O in particular), 85%
less acidifying gases (NH3) and 30% less phytooxydant gases (NO, NO2).
Farmers are continually refining their practices in order
to protect our environment. For a farmer, preserving the
environment means first and foremost taking care of
his tools of the trade, i.e. the soil, and his shared living
space, i.e. the countryside.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Estimates suggest that, globally, 100 million
tonnes of atmospheric nitrogen are fixed in
the soil by legume crops.
„„Combating leaching
Legume crops can be used to fix nitrogen in
soils because if nitrate is plentiful in the soil,
the plant favours mineral assimilation over
symbiotic fixation. However, the ability to
remove remaining nitrogen also depends on
how deeply rooted the plants are. For grain
legumes to be able to contribute to a decrease
in nitrate leaching, it is important to plant the
crop after the harvest so that there is soil cover
(rotation).
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
Arable land : 24.5%
Permanent grassland : 19,5%
Woodland : 45%
0%
Uncultivated agricultural land : 3%
In terms of quality, grass strips next to bodies of
water limit approximately 80% of runoff, which
makes it possible to preserve water quality
and almost entirely reduce the risk of plant
protection products leaching into surface water.
Grass strips can also increase biodiversity and
create ecological niches.
5%
Urbanised land : 5%
Some 6% of agricultural land is irrigated.
Farmers are thrifty managers of this public good
and use all tools at their disposal to limit waste.
15%
Water : 3%
„„Preserving water
resources
„„A haven of biodiversity
The diversity of crops grown provides varied
habitats for the countless species that live in the
agricultural milieu. Some birds and insects can
find shelter in legume crops. All legume crops
are classed as attractive to bees. Bees can feed
on these crops during a period when the height
of the rapeseed flowering season is already over,
but when wild flora are not yet in bloom.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Legume crops are visited by an average of
15 to 24 butterflies species compared to an
average of 10 for arable crops.
Pulses are traditionally linked to local regions and high-quality niche
markets, which can respond to the need to create jobs that cannot be
outsourced.
Agriculture has shaped the countryside for
centuries and has always been the cornerstone
of European society, guaranteeing its food selfsufficiency as well as its unity and identity.
With deep roots in society and sound time
management skills, farmers have always been
a reassuring point of reference in a world in flux.
European citizens have unfailing confidence in
farmers, as proven by European surveys. This
confidence is built on shared values, such as
protecting nature, honesty, transparency, courage
and modernity.
„„A living
countryside
Legume producers enhance varied
landscapes, which change with the seasons,
and are major contributors to the social and
territorial balance.
Legume crops often serve as a buffer strip
alongside sensitive natural sites, especially
wetlands or water catchment areas.
„„Dynamic territories
As one of the driving forces behind the local
economy, grain legume producers use their highquality raw materials to create local goods that form
the bedrock of gastronomy and cuisine - green Puy
lentils and Coco de Paimpol beans to name but a
few.
European cultural heritage is based on its territorial
diversity, the values defended by its men and
women, their know-how and the products that they
provide. Protein crops producers not only bear,
protect and pass on this agricultural wealth, but they
also promote it as part of a sustainable economy.
Peas
Fababean
Lupin
Soya
White cover
This brochure was created by Copa-Cogeca,
www.copa-cogeca.eu, and with the support of FOP
(Federation of Oilseed and Protein Crop Producers).
Alfalfa