Brussels, 02/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Olive oil producers are facing a difficult situation. COPA and COGECA, therefore, asked the European Commission on Tuesday 1 February to activate private storage aid to help producers. A similar request made by Spain at the last Agriculture Council has yet to receive a Commission response.
Figures from the EU statistical office Eurostat show olive oil is the only sector to have seen a fall in producer income in 2010 (-5.7%) as compared to 2009. This is in spite of the increased volume and value of its produce of 19.9% and 12.8% respectively. Moreover, in 2009, olive oil producer incomes fell by as much as 15.2% compared to 2008. “This situation is unbearable for producers who have seen their income deteriorate constantly over the past five years”, say COPA-COGECA in a press release. “The market is in serious crisis and the activation of private storage aid is fully justified. The measure should be activated as soon as possible”, said COPA-COGECA Secretary General Pekka Pesonen.
When the oil comes out of storage and back onto the market, it should be exported to non-EU countries “to prevent the market from de-stabilising again and to make sure that we do not just postpone the problem”, said Benedetto Orlandi, Chairman of the COPA-COGECA olive oil and table olives working group. He added: “What is more, the sector needs additional measures to stabilise the market and to avoid such serious disturbances from happening in the future”. (L.C./transl.rt)