Farmers rely on farm supply cooperatives to ensure access to the best inputs such as machinery, fertilisers, feedstuffs and energy, which are good value for money, as well as to specialised technical services and consultation, he explained. Such effective support provided by farm supply cooperatives enables EU farmers to contribute to productivity growth and to meet major food supply and environmental challenges.
Speaking at the Forum, Mr Pèes said “Through continuous support and tailor made solutions for farmers, farm supply cooperatives ensure that European agriculture is innovative and that there is good productivity growth. Having access to such services, European farmers can provide more with less. More food, more feed, more bioenergy and other non-food crops, as well as more public goods whilst keeping control of their production costs. Farm supply cooperatives are key tools , in the hands of farmers, to enable farmers to innovate and increase their productivity and meet these major food supply challenges.
He continued “As markets globalise, farm supply cooperatives develop at EU level and adapt to improve their competitive position at international level. Faced with increasing global competition there is more pressure on them to provide cost-effective solutions for farmers. Farm supply cooperatives are rapidly expanding at international level and take advantage of the opportunities for growth within Europe as well as in emerging markets” .
“To achieve this, they expand the business models which have already proved to be effective in EU markets. But they also need to cooperate with local farmers and other partners in the food chain, in order to be successful and gain new markets. There is also an increase in mergers and acquisitions to enable them to expand and meet the increasing competition. And more entrepreneurial activities will be undertaken by EU farm supply cooperatives in the coming years in order to be successful”, he concluded.
