Operational Group: Increasing the production of organically grown cereals for the production of animal feed in Catalonia

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the organic production of monogastrics (poultry, pigs, etc.).

This has led to Catalan feed factories producing 71.3% of the total feed manufactured in the entire state (Magrama 2013), with a total production of 38,320 t during 2012. (Magrama, 2013. Feed production data 2012. Subdirectorate General of Livestock Production Means.)

The production of extensive crops in compliance with organic farming standards in Catalonia has reached 992 hectares for barley and 70 hectares for corn, according to Magrama data (Magrama, 2014. Organic Agriculture. Statistics. Subdirectorate General for Differentiated Quality and Organic Farming). According to the CCPAE (Certificate of Agricultural and Agricultural Research), only 4.11% of the registered area is used for the cultivation of cereals and legumes for grain.

This low production of the main raw materials for the manufacture of organic feed leads to significant imports from outside the state, in the case of corn (mainly from Romania, Italy, and France) and in the case of winter cereals from other autonomous communities. To fully understand this initial situation and analyze all the details, current sector data have been studied.

Statistics on organic agricultural production for the last 15 years provided by the Organic Food and Agriculture Observatory, the most recent data (2015) on the areas used for organic farming in Catalonia provided by the DARP, and municipal data, also from 2015, from the CCPAE.

The sector was also diagnosed with the main stakeholders involved, feed producers and farmers, seeking a realistic picture. This was completed with a visit to France to gain firsthand knowledge of the situation of the production sector in Europe, and specifically, to study the structure, organization, and operation of this industry in southwest France.