The latest Copa and Cogeca (the farming and agri-cooperative organisations in the EU) survey, the findings of which were unveiled on Tuesday 29 August, has revealed that farmers are more optimistic about future economic prospects than last year.
Copa and Cogeca Secretary General Pekka Pesonen said that, although agricultural commodity prices remain at quite a low level in many sectors, the situation has stabilised since 2016 “and our latest agricultural barometer survey shows that confidence amongst farmers … is starting to pick up”.
Since the second half of 2016, commodity prices in many sectors have remained relatively stable, notably in the dairy, pork, fruit and vegetable sectors. In sectors such as dairy, better prices are being seen than two years ago, Pesonen said.
In nine of the ten member states participating in the survey – Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden – the survey shows that farmers’ confidence about the current economic situation and future expectations has increased, albeit at different levels from one country another. On the other hand, farmers’ confidence in the United Kingdom has fallen as uncertainty about Brexit (the withdrawal of the country from the EU) looms.
Many farmers are also still feeling stifled by Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) implementation and the excessive bureaucracy under the CAP. Market volatility is also another factor affecting prices. The recent drought, frost and heatwaves in many regions of the EU could consequently affect some production sectors in 2017, especially the arable crops and wine sectors. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)