Slow population growth could see Europe become net food exporter

Europe’s slowing population growth could see the continent become a net food exporter, but only with a significant change of direction in EU agricultural policy, say landowners.

Members of the European Landowners’ Organisation (ELO) claim that policies focused on productivity increases could allow the EU’s farmers to take greater advantage of the region’s good soils, even climate, and world-class, third-level food researchers.

At a recent conference in Dublin entitled ‘Creating productivity with the land we currently farm’, the group warned that the EU27 was drifting into a “lost decade” due to misguided policies.