Luxembourg, 26/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 26 October, in Luxembourg, several countries called for measures to be adopted to support pork producers facing difficulties, mainly due to the rise in animal feed. “We need vigorous intervention for pork within the common market organisation framework”, French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire said. France has called for refund and storage measures in support of pigmeat producers. “The EU must be there to support the pork sector and help them through the crisis”, he added.
France pointed out that, when there was the milk crisis, they “had to wait for months, and do everything possible to make the Commission decide to intervene. We must not make the same mistakes this time”, Le Maire commented.
Belgium (which called for a day of reflection, on 3 December, on the pig farming situation), Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Hungary, Romania, Denmark, Austria and Greece also acknowledged that there were problems to be faced by the pigmeat sector. Slovenia in particular recommended that a high level group on pigmeat production be created (after the fashion of what was done for milk and dairy products).
Dacian Cioloº, European Agriculture Commissioner, admitted that fluctuations in the price of cereals had an effect on the profit margins of European pigmeat producers. He gave his assurance that the Commission would continue to pay great attention to developments in the economic situation of the pigmeat sector. The Commission will do what is necessary, when necessary, he said in essence. Such developments are a clear demonstration of how important it is to deal with the problem of price volatility and income volatility in the context of CAP (common agricultural policy). (L.C./transl.jl)