FX.co ★ German minister advises Germans to eat less meat

The German government is confident that reducing meat consumption can help to free up arable land. Local politicians have urged people to limit meat in their usual diet to avoid a food price crisis.

Back in March, German Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir advised Germans to reduce meat consumption to counter Russian sanctions. The Russian authorities are using not only gas but also food as a political weapon. This means that Germans should keep a close eye on their diet. According to Ozdemir, Moscow is obviously using its export capabilities to exert pressure. He said that Western countries should first and foremost keep open agricultural markets and ensure the supply of grain crops in the world.

Niels Annen, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, has endorsed the initiative. “Nevertheless, it is important to point out that a very large part of global grain production – also in developing and emerging countries – ends up going into animal feed production,” he explained. Reducing meat consumption in Germany and Europe would thus help free up more arable land – not only domestically, but also in countries from which meat is imported. Notably, reducing pork consumption by 30% would free up about one million hectares of arable land.