2023-06-09 16:03:40
This year the entity has wanted to highlight the importance of the regions of Lleida in poultry production
The Catalan Poultry Federation (FAC), which brings together the majority of the poultry and egg producing companies in Catalonia, held its ordinary general assembly yesterday. This year the entity has chosen the Palacio de la Lonja de Lleida for the event, with the aim of bringing the face-to-face events to different parts of the territory and to highlight the importance of the Lleida regions in poultry production.
The president of the FAC, Joan Anton Rafecas, wanted to assess positively the ability of poultry and egg producing companies to adapt to a very adverse situation last year, in which they had to face a strong increase in production costs, the high incidence of highly pathogenic avian influenza and important changes in the regulations applicable to the sector.
Rafecas also spoke of the concern that exists in the sector regarding the consequences of the upcoming changes that are expected in the animal welfare regulations in the European Union which, due to their exhaustiveness, will mean a significant transformation of the sector in a relatively short time. According to Rafecas, “the measures that are in the evaluation phase will force poultry companies to carry out an arduous task of adaptation with large investments in the coming years and will lead to a decrease in productive capacity.” The president of the FAC has warned of the effects that the new regulations may have on the market and that will affect European consumers: “With the new requirements, European poultry products will become more expensive and will be at a disadvantage compared to imports. There is a need for the European Community to carry out a comprehensive and rigorous impact assessment of the proposed measures, as requested by the EU livestock organizations. We believe that it is possible to advance in animal welfare and sustainability without implying a loss of productive capacity or competitiveness of the European agri-food industry.”
According to Rafecas, it is crucial to recognize the value of the productive activity of the Catalan poultry sector as a supplier of high-quality protein foods and nutritional value such as poultry meat and eggs, which are essential for a healthy diet and balanced at any age and are at the same time affordable for consumers. Poultry production contributes significantly to the territorial balance, it is the second meat sector and it also occupies the second place in the final agricultural production (PFA) of the country with 12.6%. “If we endanger the Catalan poultry sector, we endanger one of the most important activities in the primary sector and also hinder citizens’ access to local food that is essential from a nutritional point of view. With the European food production model we have been able to offer very high quality poultry and eggs at affordable prices. The reduction in production will inevitably lead to an increase in the prices of poultry products and a worsening of quality, with the entry of products from countries where the same requirements are not applied”, stated Rafecas.
Sectoral projects, key to the development of the Catalan poultry sector
Aware of the importance of joint actions and alliances with other sectors of the meat-livestock chain, to provide the sector with the necessary resources to innovate and adapt to new needs, as well as to develop joint strategies to improve the position of the sector and its products, in the last year the FAC has actively worked on sectoral projects that came to light in early 2023. Together with three other organizations from the Catalan meat and livestock sector, in January the FAC joined the Foundation of Meat Companies (FEC), created with the aim of promoting a joint space for analysis, debate, positioning and defense of the business activities of the meat and livestock chain in Catalonia.
The FAC also participates as a producing partner in BroilerNeta European project in the chicken sector that has the participation of academic/scientific partners and producers from thirteen countries of the European Union and whose objective is to establish networks of knowledge and practice between the academic and scientific world and poultry farmers from all over the world. community in order to improve the resilience and sustainability of the sector.
These projects complement the work carried out by the FAC in the Spanish sectoral organizations for poultry meat and eggs, where it works to add value to producers through joint actions with the rest of the State companies, also providing an important channel of dialogue. with the Spanish and European administrations. Currently, the FAC is a member of Avianza (Spanish Interprofessional Association of Poultry Meat), Asephru (Spanish Association of Egg Producers) and IEH (Institute of Egg Studies).
The presidents of Avianza, Josep Solé, and of Aseprhu, Dolors Callís, both directors of Catalan poultry companies, were the guests of honor at the assembly and offered attendees a global vision of the sector’s situation and future challenges, from their respective posts.
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