On Thursday 20 July, the European Commission announced the launch of a market observatory for cereals.
The aim is to bring greater transparency and increase availability of market data for European farmers and traders.
A range of market information and short-term analysis will be made available on a new dedicated website. The observatory consists of 14 organisations representing various stages of the grain supply chain. A board of 23 market experts will meet twice a year, with meetings chaired by the Commission.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said it was hoped that the observatory would become an additional and useful tool to manage the market more effectively. Cereal production is an essential part of the EU farming activity, with over 300 million tonnes of cereals, 30 million tonnes of oilseeds and 5 million tonnes of protein crops produced every year. Observatories of this type already exist for the milk and meat markets. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)