23/11/2016 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 24 November, the relevant EU management committee is expected to authorise the Commission to sell of public stocks of skimmed milk powder. In order not to destabilise the market, the quantities open to tender will be limited initially to 22,500 tonnes, 6% of the total public intervention stock of 350,000 tonnes. The largest intervention stocks are in France (over 66,000 tonnes), Germany (over 62,000 tonnes), Belgium, (more than 52,000 tonnes) and Poland (more than 35,000 tonnes). The Commission believes that, with average prices rising by 10% over the last few months, this is a good time to begin destocking. The measure is financed by the EU budget and will serve in part to reimburse the storage costs of the countries concerned. (LC)