Belgian soybeans will be harvested for the first time this year following trials by Alpro in Northern Europe to improve the environmental footprint of soy products and safeguard the future of non-GM supplies.
The dairy alternative brand says the move “goes far beyond pricing concerns” and will reduce the distance travelled by its products from field to table, as well as creating more opportunities for local farmers.
Alpro teamed up with Aveve, the Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), and Belgium’s Department of Agriculture to cultivate the crop in Flanders. The first harvest for 2017 is expected to reach 100 tonnes.
“This Flemish soya fits in perfectly with our strategic choice of not using any genetically modified soybeans,” says Greet Vanderheyden, sustainable development manager at Alpro. It follows a similar model in Alpro’s factory in France, where the brand uses only French soya beans. “This project is an important step in the second action plan for alternative protein sources: a local, shorter and integrated chain for soya, with a focus on sustainability and fair added-value distribution,” said Flemish minister Joke Schauvliege.
Global soybean production is plentiful, up 12% year on year for the 2016/17 harvest to 349.32 million tonnes, according to Mintec. Opening stocks for the 2017/18 harvest are forecast to be up 25% year on year. However, supplies are not guaranteed, as in South America soybeans have “lost attractiveness” to farmers, meaning some are switching their crops for this season, says Mintec analyst Jonathan Stokes.
Production is also down in North America due to poor weather during the crop development period. Only 67% of the crop was rated good to excellent, its lowest level in four years, down 8% year on year.
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