European Commission Announces Exceptional Support Measures For EU Fresh Fruit & Veg Producers
In the context of Russian restrictions on imports of EU agricultural products, the European Commission is moving to introduce support measures for certain perishable fruits & vegetables.
Dacian Cioloș, EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner, comments: “Taking into account the market situation following the Russian restrictions on imports of EU agricultural products, I am triggering CAP emergency measures which will reduce overall supply of a number of fruit and vegetable products on the European market as and when price pressures become too great in the coming months. All farmers of the concerned products – whether in producer organisations or not – will be eligible to take up these market support measures where they see fit. Acting early will provide an efficient support to the price paid to producers on the internal market, help the market adjust and be cost effective.”
The products concerned by the measures are the following: tomatoes, carrots, white cabbage, peppers, cauliflowers, cucumbers, and gherkins, mushrooms, apples, pear, red fruits, table grapes and kiwis. The markets for these products are in full season, with no storage option for most of them and no immediate alternative market available.
The exceptional measures will include market withdrawals especially for free distribution, compensation for non-harvesting and green harvesting. The financial assistance will cover all producers whether they are organised in producers organisation or not. The measures will have a retroactive effect as from August 18. In other words, any volumes withdrawn from then onwards (or subject to green harvesting or the other measures) will already be covered by these additional measures, subject to the necessary controls. These measures will apply until the end of November with a budget foreseen of €125 million.
The European Commission will continue following markets development for all the sectors affected by the Russian ban on agriculture and food products in close contacts with Member States and will not hesitate to support further sectors heavily dependent on exports to Russia or to adapt the measures already announced, if necessary.
