“Mercosur an additional stab”
For him, the content of this agreement is still completely unclear. “The European Commission has maintained an opacity that seemed deliberate since the start of the process. We are told that we have taken measures to protect European farmers, but we have no guarantee…“
Hot news which also falls into an economic context that is already very difficult for the entire sector. But, in concrete terms, what will be the impact of Mercosur on Belgian producers? “We are mainly talking about the poultry, beef and sugar sectors. These three productions are part of the agreement and, at the Walloon level, we produce a lot of sugar and beef, and a little less poultry.explique Guillaume Van Binst. The cattle sector has already suffered for several years from production costs which are not covered by the sale price. Mercosur is an additional stab. If we take the example of the Belgian blue white, it is a breed developed in Wallonia, with animals that are quite sensitive to diseases. To have this quality of meat, it represents a high cost for producers.“
An EU-Mercosur agreement has been signed: “an absolute shame” for some, “the most important ever concluded” for others
The risk is therefore to see meat arriving from South America which would disrupt the market. “If we see meat arriving from the other side of the world which is not subject to the same standards and which is less expensive, we risk the disappearance of Belgian blue white, in fact“, he says.
For sugar, the price of which is subject to a globalized market, the news is already bad. “2023 was a good year, 2024 was a little less so but we are being told a sales price will be 50% cheaper for producers next year…“
