EU Member States noted, on Monday 6 March, continuing difficulties in some agricultural markets due to the effects of the war in Ukraine triggered by Russia.
The Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) took stock of the situation on agricultural markets.
About half of the EU Member States reportedly mentioned high input costs (energy, fertiliser, feed) as having a significant influence on farmers’ production and profit margins.
Crisis reserve. A number of Member States referred to the impact of ‘solidarity lanes’ and autonomous trade measures on Member States that border Ukraine and emphasised the need to cushion this impact and/or provide compensation to farmers by mobilising the agricultural crisis reserve. The European Commission has not yet made any proposals on this issue, although Janusz Wojciechowski, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, has expressed his support (see EUROPE 13111/11).
Member States also emphasised sectors in difficulty in their region, including dairy, fruit and vegetables and meat (pigmeat, poultry, livestock). A few Member States highlighted the impact of the shift in consumption patterns, in particular moving away from high-value products (such as organic) and choosing cheaper alternatives instead.
Some Member States mentioned the Court of Justice of the EU decision on neonicotinoids, which could potentially affect beet growers.
Several EU countries (France, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland...) have commented in a note obtained by EUROPE on the market situation.
To read the note: https://aeur.eu/f/5nn (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)