Brussels, 19/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - Pig farmers in various countries in the EU are experiencing troubled times due to the hike in the price of animal fodder (a 35% rise from September 2006 to September 2007) and a slump in the price of pig products ('pigmeat' in the EU jargon) on the market. Their cry for help has been heard, in part, by the European Union, whose Management Committee for Pigmeat agreed, in the evening of Thursday 18 October, on a European Commission proposal to introduce a private storage aid scheme for pigmeat. According to the Commission's calculations, it would cost the EU budget €40 million to store 100,000 tonnes of pigmeat for three to five months. The date decided for starting to store pigmeat is 29 October 2007. Operators deciding to store pigmeat at their own cost during this three to five month period could receive EU aid to cover their storage costs. They would then be able to put the meat back on the market when the prices increase (but meat must be kept in storage for two months before it can be exported). In a press release, the French agriculture ministry expressed its pleasure at the measure but calls for further measures and the introduction of export refunds. The issue will be discussed at the Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on Monday 22 October (see related article above). (L.C.)