a driver for EU sustainable competitiveness

If you enjoyed a cup of tea or coffee this morning, then your day has already been positively shaped by the global food trade. For millennia, food crops that require certain climates have been produced in one part of the world and then exported elsewhere to meet consumer needs.

That trade has had a positive impact that extends far beyond meeting the need for basic commodities. It has also fuelled cultural exchange, aided understanding between nations, and supported often fragile economies in some of the world’s poorest communities.

Moving food from where it grows to where it is sold is hardly new. It is a practice as old as commercial agriculture itself. However, in recent years, the agri-food sector’s role in international trade has grown dramatically. And that goes far beyond providing our morning coffee. Global exchange in staples like wheat, corn, rice, and soy have increased fivefold over the last fifty years.

Casey Onstot, Marketing Leader, EMEA for Corteva Agriscience, tells The Parliament that the benefits of the global food trade are often not fully appreciated by policymakers.

We need win-win outcomes for EU farmers to have the right tools to produce sustainably and maintain their ability to export

“A well-functioning agri-food trade is in the best interest of the European Union competitiveness and consumers choice,” Onstot explains. “The movement of agricultural commodities from regions of surplus to those of need provides a critical buffer against market shocks, strengthens food security, and creates new outlet for farmers worldwide.”

Corteva itself has a strategic focus on innovations that are a driver of sustainable development. In Kenya, for example, Corteva worked together with local authorities to support the establishment of Codex standards for one of their latest crop protection tools. This allowed mango farmers to have access to an innovative and sustainable solution while ensuring they can export their crops globally, including to the European Union which relies on imports of tropical fruit. Similar initiatives are enabling market access to support the livelihood of smallholder farmers in developing countries.

In parallel to global advances, Corteva is also investing to ensure that European farmers can access safe, effective, and sustainable solutions to produce food. Onstot cautions that trade-restrictive policies would not support European farmers competitiveness, and urge policymakers to instead focus on ensuring they maintain access to an efficient crop protection toolbox, including biocontrol products.

Ostot cautions that more protectionist policies could harm EU competitiveness. “We need win-win outcomes for EU farmers to have the right tools to produce sustainably and maintain their ability to export. The EU also benefits greatly from access to agricultural commodities, whether it is tropical fruit, nuts, spices and other food products not widely grown in the EU, or commodities that are further transformed to create added-value food and feed products.”

Policies based on the so-called “mirror measures” that Onstot describes often ignore the fact that farmers around the world have different agronomic challenges, climates and pest and disease pressures. Imposing unilateral mirror measures could lead to unintended consequences, disrupting international trade and undermining broader sustainability and international development goals.

Instead, Onstot would like to see policymakers around the world support international standards such as Codex, and engage in regulatory and policy cooperation via bilateral and multilateral fora.

“Achieving sustainability is complex and there is no one-size-fits-all,” he explains. “Unilateral measures and more protectionist policies, as appealing as they may initially sound, would only lead to a race to the bottom for EU agri-food competitiveness”.

Trade-enabling policies are not only benefitting the EU’s trading partners. The EU’s own agri-food sector will itself see significant gains, with 40% of the value of EU agri-food exports currently reliant on imports from third countries. European processors then add significant value to imported raw materials, transforming them into high-quality food and feed products, either for EU consumption or exports.

“Maintaining a level playing field for farmers around the world via trade-enabling policies is key,” Onstot tells us. “Through partnerships, market access, and science-based trade standards, the stage is set for the agri-food sector to thrive and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals of eradicating poverty, ensuring food security, and fostering sustainable growth.”

The global food trade is not just about economic exchange. It is a tool for uplifting economies, stabilising communities, and advancing global sustainability. By embracing science-based policies and globally aligned trade standards, the EU now has the opportunity to drive a more resilient and sustainable food system that benefits producers, consumers, and the environment alike.

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