Brussels, 29/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - In a letter to EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan, EU farmers' and agri-cooperatives organisations (Copa-Cogeca) have called for improvements in the withdrawal mechanism for fruit and vegetables from the market, says a Copa-Cogeca press release published on Friday 29 July.
The new package of measures unveiled on 18 July provides for a rise in the withdrawal price for fruit and vegetables by producer organisations (see EUROPE 11596). Copa-Cogeca calls for “the EU withdrawal price to be increased for all eligible products, especially for oranges and tomatoes. For many other products like apples & pears, cauliflower, peaches and nectarines, the proposed amounts are sufficient. We also call for the new amounts to apply retroactively from July 18. And we want to see the list of eligible products expanded”, states its press release. The Commission has decided to extend these exceptional measures for twelve months, until 30 June 2017. They relate to withdrawal of products from the market so they can be given to charity, used to feed animals, distilled into spirits, or not harvested or left for green harvesting. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)