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Food loss – priming primary production to prioritize
There are plenty of wasted opportunities in primary production as well. Karin Lindow, policy analyst at the Swedish Board of Agriculture, summarized some findings from recent studies of food loss on farms and packeries.
One third of all carrots are left behind due to wrong size, color, shape and rot. These are used for compost, biogas production and animal feed, but there is still a lost income for the farmers.
Potatoes are wasted less, but at much higher volumes. 1/6 of all potatoes in Sweden are lost due to color, damages and size, which amounts to 75,000 tons every year.
“While these products are high in volume and low in climate impact, the opposite could be said about meat and dairy products. 8% of the slaughtered weight of beef is lost, and 3% of pigs. There is also untapped potential in sideproducts like blood – 156 million servings of black pudding went to waste last year.”
Karin Lindow concluded that farmers need to improve and optimize their production process with technology and innovation, but added that profitability is essential for investing more in sustainable practices. It all boils down to education and understanding.
“All stages in the food system can act on this – retailers, chefs, consumers and authorities. Because this is a work we need to do together”, said Lindow.
While these products are high in volume and low in climate impact, the opposite could be said about meat and dairy products. 8% of the slaughtered weight of beef is lost, and 3% of pigs. There is also untapped potential in sideproducts like blood – 156 million servings of black pudding went to waste last year.
Karin Lindow, policy analyst at the Swedish Board of Agriculture