June 18, 2021

BioMar spearheads sustainable soybean production in Europe for aquaculture

 

BioMar has announced its Protein Partnership with Vienna, Austria-based Donau Soja Organisation in Croatia.

BioMar is the first in the aquaculture industry to participate in this programme. "BioMar believes in the Protein Partnership and its focus on training the local farmers in Croatia and improving the socio-economic and ecological situation there. Together we build local value chains and bring added value to production in the rural areas of Europe," says Vidar Gundersen, global sustainability director, BioMar Group.

The Protein Partnership Program aims to increase sustainable non-genetically-modified (GM) volumes in Europe and supports European farmers in their entry into sustainable and GMO-free soya production.

BioMar chose Croatia as its partner country due to its proximity to existing supply chains. Specifically, the project involved three Croatian agricultural cooperatives and their 540 farmers.

Soybean is the largest global source of plant-based protein, also in the aquaculture sector. The European Union imports 35-40 million tonnes annually, sourcing significant amounts from areas with sensitive ecosystems, such as the Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna. Protein Partnerships are designed as an alternative to credits from overseas at relatively low costs. Investing in sustainable soybean production in Europe contributes to significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and supports local farmers: Soy protein concentrate (SPC) as it is used in fish feed proves to have 70% less CO2 emission if produced from European Donau Soja soybeans.