Coming from large plains, American bison meat hopes to cross the Atlantic to conquer European plates … If consumers in the old continent are willing to use it a bit. This is one of the previous points relatively unnoticed in the commercial agreement made between the European Union and the United States in the heart of summer: to obtain the good thanks from Washington, Brussels agreed to open customs valves for some “non -sensitive” American agricultural productions, including soybean oil, ketchup and unexpected bison meat.
More specifically, a contingent of 3,000 tons of American bison will now be exempt from customs duties every year at the entrance to the European market, as registered in the proposal of a regulation subject by the European Commission to the European Parliament and the European Union Council. More than 3,000 tons, these same customs tasks will increase to 20%, their current level.
“[Nous avons] A long pressure on the federal government to relieve customs tariff From 192 to farms in animals in animals in animals in animals on farms on farms in 2022.
Tender and less oily than meat
If it seems inseparable from American images, bison breeding only arose until the end of the 1960s in rehabilitation programs in bovine species, previously abundant in the American soil before being decimated during European colonization. Supported by domestic demand and effective marketing: the bison meat market has experienced strong growth throughout the Atlantic in the last thirty years. And American breeders now expect to overflow over Europe, convinced to find a “strong demand” there.
Such a statement is surprising, the bison not really in the eating habits of Europeans. Despite its solid arguments (tender red meat, rich in protein and less fat than beef, occasionally it is seen until the end of the year celebrations in supermarkets. In France, outside the marinated pavement served in Buffalo Grill, few restaurants show it to the letter.
At the moment, American breeders are especially delighted to have led the Canadian competition that has already benefited from a reduction in European customs tasks since 2018. The bilateral commercial agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA) provides the same annual contingent of 3,000 tons of bison meats of the duties of customs. The recent EU United States agreement “will guarantee a greater offer in bison for European consumers, while collectively increases the market share of the bison industry,” he wants to believe in the NBA.
If they forget in this story, they are rather European breeders, deplora Matthieu Péron, president of the Bison Association of France and himself at the head of a breeding of 400 animals in Auverne.
About fifteen breeders are scattered today in French territory, as well as another fortnight in Germany and some in neighboring Belgium. Poland, Austria or Romania also house several farms.
Few Canadian imports
On both sides of the ocean, the same kind of bison is high, namely the bison of America. But “we get fat with the lawn”, while American animals “are sent to ‘fattening’ (fattening parks, editor’s note) to worsen quickly,” said farmer Avergne, who however is reassuring for him and his colleagues. European breeders generally sell their meat for direct sale and are little exposed to international trade. In addition, “American production does not even manage to follow its national application today,” he adds.
In the case of Canada, the lifting of the customs barriers in the bison has had only a few effects since 2018. According to the reports of the analysis of the implementation of CETA directed by the European Commission, the fee of 3,000 rates and was only used between 2% and 6% depending on the years, between 60 and 180 tons. First for a regulatory reason: the profits expected by the Canadians did not materialize due “to the regulatory differences in the food security standards”, which closed the doors of Europe, says Brussels.
The reduction of customs tasks over American flesh “can help increase sales a bit,” but the bison “remains a marginal market” in Europe, he agrees in Jong’s Arnaud, the head of the Damien de Jong family company (prey), specialized in the importation and transformation of hunting meat and exotic meat, including the bison. The Alsacian company, which supplies in the United States, sells only 3 to 5 tons of bison meat every year in the French market, due to lack of request from its clients in neighboring countries.
“The most expensive of our assortment”
Much less requested that the ostrich or kangaroo, the bison is the “most expensive meat of our assortment” due to its very high purchase price, underlines. The Pavé Bison under Jong’s Damien brand is sold around 50 euros per kilo in supermarkets, where the company distributes most of its products, the rest is purchased by wholesalers and industrialists of catering. In addition, stamped despite itself as a festive product, the demand for bison meat is still very concentrated in the last weeks of the year, adds the Alsacian leader.
Be that as it may, American breeders will have to show some patience before leaving to conquer European stomachs. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, which represent the Member States, must still give it a green light so that the commercial agreement of the United States and the United States can enter into force.
Source: BFM TV
