Farmers accused the European Union of “sacrificing” their own poultry farming, agreeing to a quota of 180,000 tons of additional meat from the Mercosur countries.

A historic deal between the EU and the Mercosur bloc, including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, was signed after 20 years of negotiations.

South American countries intend to increase exports of beef, sugar, poultry and other agricultural products to the European Union.

But the pan-European poultry lobbying group, AVEC, has highlighted farmers' concerns that the EU has agreed on a “colossal quota of 180,000 tons of additional poultry from Mercosur countries.

AVEC said: “It's not just more meat. It is about the people and livelihoods that will be affected by this agreement. An additional 180,000 tons of poultry meat imported into the EU means a significant loss of jobs in the EU for our sector, mainly located in the countryside. ”

Europe already imports nearly 900,000 tons of poultry meat every year from third countries. For comparison, the import of beef is about 300,000 tons, and pork - about 20,000 tons.

“The poultry sector in the EU feels betrayed by the European Commission. Our sector has been sacrificed to the interests of larger players, ”said representatives of the poultry sector of the European Union.