European agriculture faces structural shifts in livestock and crop production

The European agricultural sector is facing significant structural shifts driven by the Green Deal, CAP reforms, and market realities. At the European Federation of Animal Science conference in Hamburg, analysis presented by a Trinity College Dublin professor highlighted a ‘perfect storm’ for livestock farming. While the sector contributes approximately 40% of agricultural value-added and supports 7 million people, it is undergoing consolidation; currently, just 6% of holdings account for over 70% of EU livestock units.

Simultaneously, climate change is reshaping cultivation opportunities in Southern Europe. A Rabobank report suggests that rising temperatures and reduced frost are making Greece, along with parts of Spain, Portugal, and Italy, increasingly suitable for high-value tropical and subtropical crops. In Greece, regions such as Crete and the Peloponnese are identified as having favorable conditions for producing goods like avocado and mango, provided there is sufficient water, investment, and infrastructure to support these new agricultural models.