Brussels, 15/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the European sugar beet growers will stage a demonstration in Brussels against the proposed reform of the common market organisation (CMO) for sugar, outside the meeting of the Agriculture Council to be held the same day, which is to discuss the dossier (see other article and EUROPE 8991).
"The proposed reform put forward by the European Commission (on 22 June) endangers the sustainability of European sugar beet growth", said the International Confederation of European Sugar Beet Growers (CIBE), at a press conference on Thursday. It stated that some 5000 sugar beet growers from the 21 producer countries of the EU would represent the 320,000 European sugar beet growers "to call upon the Council of agriculture ministers to ensure that they have a sustainable future".
In the view of the European producers of sugar beet, "the proposal does not guarantee a balance in the European sugar market" and will send "120,000 sugar beet growers out of business in the next two or three years". The CIBE's main gripe is with the "excessive" price reductions; it feels that it should be "possible to keep higher prices and production at a level above 3,000,000 tonnes". It also criticises the fact that the "Commission has abandoned any export ambitions from 2007-2008" and that it has decided "to leave the market to its own devices" by removing any form of intervention.
"These plans, which will cost each European grower the equivalent of 6500 EUR on potential revenue and which will destroy 80 sugar refineries and over 150,000 jobs directly and indirectly, benefits mainly Brazil, international trade and big agro-food and drinks companies", said Otto von Arnold, the president of the CIBE, at the press conference on Thursday.