Brussels, 16/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - COPA (Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the European Union) and COGECA (General Committee for Agricultural Cooperation in the EU) made an a appeal to the European Commission on Thursday 15 October to introduce pork meat export refunds. This aid has currently been suspended but would enable the EU to dipatch volumes of meat that have led to the sharpest fall in price ever.
COPA-COGECA declared in a press release that the pork sector is in its third year of crisis and prospects for 2010 are no better. If nothing is done rapidly, millions of pork producers will stop producing. The organisations explain that the 15% fall in European exports (compared to 2008) and the 10% fall in pork meat prices paid to producers is presenting producers with enormous problems, particulary liquidity problems. Pork producers have to invest to get their breeding buidling into line before 2013. COPA notes that the signing of the free trade agreement with South Korea is of vital importance in backing up European pork meat export volumes to this OECD country (EUROPE 9999).
Certain agriculture ministers have already called for refunds of this kind but the Commission has always refused. (L.C./transl.fl)