EuroChoices最新文献

While the bioeconomy permeates all sectors, respective markets are subject to different dynamics. Markets for bio-based amino acids and insect biomass illustrate this. The global and EU markets for bio-based amino acids are well-established and growing. However, the increase in production in the EU of some ‘new’ amino acids is much smaller than the decrease in production of well-established lysine and threonine that has resulted from the relocation of the production of these amino acids from the EU to Asia (an effect of higher production costs and stricter environmental standards in the EU). The result is that overall production of amino acids has decreased significantly.

The market for insect biomass is just emerging in the EU. Production is low, but companies are starting to upscale. The animal feed market is a major target market for free amino acids and insect biomass. Free amino acids are classified as feed additives and placing them on the feed market is costly. Insect meal is a feed material and placing it on the market is quite straightforward, although its use in feed for poultry and pigs was approved only in September 2021. Free amino acids are common ingredients of animal feed, but their use is prohibited in organic farming. The use of insect meal in organic farming is not prohibited, but a corresponding certification is not yet developed in the EU.

The inward flows of fruits and vegetables in the European Union are regulated by the import regime, consisting of a system of quotas and Entry Prices. The effectiveness of this trade policy has been under investigation since the early 2000s and is (still) debated. The pandemic has offered new insights. Growth in trade of fruit and vegetables (F&V) in the Mediterranean region, especially in Morocco, slowed down during the Covid-19 crisis. While reductions in trade of F&V are likely to be associated with shocks caused by the pandemic, the long-lasting effects of a well-established system of policy interventions in the sector should not be neglected. In other words, the effects of the Covid pandemic have only altered the volumes of F&V trade from Mediterranean countries. However, the continued occurrence of excess (low priced) imports of F&V from the Mediterranean region reinforces policy recommendations that point at the need to reform trade policy. The EU import regime should be simplified, by relaxing the controls on prices of imported F&V, and by negotiating off-season import quotas. The former would shrink running costs while the latter would lower competition among EU producers and Mediterranean exporters.

Currently, policy decisions are often made based on untested scientific results. Replication studies repeat previously published research and, thus, are an effective way to test the validity and reliability of research studies, as well as to test the potential for generalisations of such studies. Replications can contribute to improved policy decisions and thus more efficient use of resources. To date, very few replications of research in agricultural economics are available and the incentives to engage in replications are low. Moreover, the conditions for replicating studies are poor. For example, published articles often lack full transparency in terms of documentation, data and computer code. This Point de Vue highlights the advantages of striving for conditions that facilitate replication studies and foster such a culture in agricultural economics. Policymakers could explicitly invite and support replications of studies that are key for good policymaking. To this end, they can address both demand-side and supply-side problems of replications, for example, by inviting, valuing and supporting replications of policy-relevant analyses and by providing institutional and legal infrastructure facilitating open science and replications. With this, policy can support the agricultural economics profession, while agricultural economists can support sound policymaking, both reaping the benefits of a more transparent research culture.

Using the example of the hashtag #veganuary, a neologism of vegan and January, on Twitter with over 52,000 tweets from 2022, this article shows how Social Media Analytics can provide valuable insights into timing, volume and sentiment within any emerging (consumer) trend. Social Media Analytics is increasingly being used for the analysis of Social Media data. Whether consumers, politicians or entrepreneurs, all stakeholders in the food value chain are present on Social Media and talk about various trends in food and agriculture. In the form of an overview article, this contribution uses the example of the Vegan Challenge to demonstrate how a combination of the manifold methods of Social Media Analytics can provide extensive insights into the public discourse on food topics. It shows that #veganuary communication on Twitter has a predominantly positive connotation in the discussion of all stakeholders involved. The Vegan Challenge can also be categorised as a strong marketing campaign with a competitive character. #veganuary is commonly discussed on Twitter in tweets related to topics, such as veganism and the climate crisis. We argue that Social Media Analytics usefully extends classical analytical tools of consumer research on emerging and spreading food trends, and offers opportunities for many research studies.