Brussels, 08/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - An aid package of €500 million is nowhere enough to compensate farmers for the loss of their main export market Russia worth €5.5 billion annually.
Copa-Cogeca does not conceal its disappointment at the proposals made by the European Commission on Monday 7 September to address the crisis affecting a number of agricultural sectors, in particular livestock.
“There are a few positive elements in the package but it falls short of our expectations. It includes very few measures to help manage the market or deal with the increasing volatility and short-term problems”, says a press release from the EU agricultural organisations represented. Copa-Cogeca is pleased that EU promotion schemes have been boosted and efforts are being made to find new markets “but this takes time”. “The Commission knows there is a huge crisis in the sector but is refusing to treat it”, in the view of Copa-Cogeca.
Milk. Copa-Cogeca expresses pleasure that the Commission will return some of the money from the super-levy (fines for exceeding milk quotas) to the sector but is disappointed that not all will find its way back (it puts the super-levy revenue at €900 million, while Commission sources say €810 million). The improvement in private storage aid for skimmed milk powder is welcomed but farmers are disappointed at the Commission's refusal to re-assess intervention prices.
Copa-Cogeca welcomes the early payment of a larger percentage of direct aid but says that this money will have to be paid out without waiting for all controls to be done. It would also have liked to see an export credit insurance system.
Pigmeat. Copa-Cogeca is pleased that a new private storage aid scheme for pigmeat has been introduced to help take excess supplies of the market but calls for higher compensation. Pig fat and lard must also be included, it states in its press release.
Copa-Cogeca does not share the Commission's view that the beef market is in good shape. Farmers are calling for targeted measures, such as opening private storage of beef. (Lionel Changeur)