Brussels, 24/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published on Tuesday 22 September, Copa-Cogeca expresses concern at the financial situation of cereal growers in the EU.
The reason for the worry is the fall in cereal and oilseed production in the EU, in part due to bad weather and the reformed common agricultural policy (CAP).
Chairman of the Cereals Working Party Max Schulman confirmed that cereal production would be down by 6.9% this year. Production is “298 million tonnes, compared to 320.5 million tonnes last year. Grain prices are rock-bottom and do not even cover production costs, leaving farmers with serious cash flow problems. We therefore need to step up exports and find new market outlets”, he stated. The rapeseed harvest is also down by as much as 11.2% compared to last year, mainly as a result of poor weather conditions and the neonicotinoid seed treatment ban. Against this, however, this is “good news” in the sector as protein crops increased by 35%, thanks to the greening measures in the CAP. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)