EU: Meal ban creates opportunity for soya exporters

A report from the European Commission has estimated that the ban on meat and bone meal protein being used for animal feed within the European Union is likely to create a demand for imports of 1 to 1.5 million tonnes of soya meal, an increase of 5% over existing levels. The report said that there was no problem regarding availability of soya on the world market. It added that the development of alternative supplies in the EU of oil seed rape, protein rich crops and dried fodder were all "problematic." The report concluded: "Soya meal is the best suited to replace (meat and bone meal)."