European peach and nectarine producers are to receive additional aid of €12.8, over and above the envelope already unveiled in June, because of the difficulties they have faced on the market since summer, the European Commission announced on Friday 8 September.
On 8 September, the Commission published a delegated regulation on temporary exceptional support measures for producers of peaches and nectarines in Greece, Spain and Italy. The Commission highlights “serious disruption of the peach and nectarine market” resulting from the high level of production and stocks. This has had an impact on prices, particularly in Spain (Catalonia and Aragon), Italy (Emilia-Romagna) and Greece.
Although new outlets are progressively opening for EU fruits, notably in Asia (China, India and Vietnam) and America (United States and Canada), “it is difficult to replace the huge Russian market”, the Commission says. Russia has imposed an embargo on imports of agri-food products from the EU since 2014. In addition, exports have been further hit since 1 July 2017, following the introduction of health and plant health measures by members of the Eurasian Economic Union, in particular Belarus.
A sum of €12.8 million will be provided on top of the aid, totalling €70 million, already granted at the start of the season. This aid will compensate farmers for removing another 35,020 tonnes of peaches and nectarines from the market. It will be targeted at Greek, Italian and Spanish producers who have not found market outlets. It will be retroactive to 3 August.
Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan said that the Commission remained “attentive and vigilant on the conditions of European producers who are having to work in a volatile situation”. The Commission “stands with the farmers”, Hogan said. European fruit and vegetable producers will continue to be assisted by other common agricultural policy (CAP) measures (such as, direct payments, rural development and financial support to producer organisations) worth a total of some €700 million per year. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)