Lantmännen Calls for Increased Domestic Food Production at Parliamentary Seminar

Lantmännen took part in a parliamentary seminar on November 19, focusing on strategies to strengthen national preparedness and promote the green transition. The event, organized by Kristdemokraterna and Centerpartiet with participation from Vattenfall and Saab, addressed the importance of domestic food security.

The company highlighted that Sweden's current food self-sufficiency rate is approximately 50 percent, posing a significant vulnerability and contributing to a trade deficit. Lantmännen underscored the agricultural and food sector's substantial economic impact, employing around 100,000 people and generating substantial turnover.

"Sweden has taken important steps with the decision to establish grain preparedness stocks, but long-term resilience requires more," stated Per Arfvidsson, Deputy CEO of Lantmännen. "We need long-term policies that make it possible to produce more food in Sweden, to strengthen our self-sufficiency while meeting climate targets in a competitive way."

Lantmännen emphasized that genuine resilience necessitates a significant increase in domestic food production over time, linking profitable growth in agriculture to both preparedness and the green transition. The company also called for broader cooperation between parliamentary committees, ministries, and agencies to foster conditions that enhance competitiveness and align with national food strategies.

The company expressed concern over the slow reduction of emissions from the transport sector, which could lead to production-restricting climate measures for agriculture. Arfvidsson concluded that the timeframe to 2030 is short, requiring coordinated, long-term decisions. Investments in climate adaptation and agricultural water management were identified as crucial for addressing increased precipitation and rising temperatures.