Copa-Cogeca holds key seminar on EU potato sector examining how to expand the position of the sector

Speaking at the Seminar, Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “The EU is a major potato producer and key trader, especially within in the EU, even though the sector receives little support for promotion.  . The EU is the number one exporter of seeds to North Africa, of ware potatoes to Russia and of processed goods to South America and Asia”.
 
The value of potato exports has also risen 75% in the past ten years, benefiting the EU economy, innovation and growth in EU rural areas.
 
He continued “The 2014/2015 marketing year is expected to be a bumper harvest, up 7% on last year, to reach 27.5 million tonnes in the five main producer countries. On the spot market, prices are  dropping and the situation is made worse by the trade restrictions recently imposed by the Russian Federation. The 2014/2015 marketing year is expected to be trickier than 2013/2014, also because the five main producer countries have seen an increase in surface area of 3%, compared to their five-year averages”.
 
In the longer term, a big increase in world consumption of potatoes is expected, but mainly outside Europe. To benefit from the increased trade opportunities, Copa-Cogeca consequently urges the EU Commission to ensure non-tariff barriers, red tape and phtyosanitary barriers are removed in upcoming trade negotiations with non-EU countries.

Wrapping up Mr Pesonen said “To maintain this stable and sustainable trend in the future, the European Institutions must take the European potato sector seriously, and see it as an offensive sector in bilateral trade negotiations. Import tariffs and phytosanitary barriers must be removed.  The intellectual property rights for seed potatoes must be protected and promotion of fresh products strengthened both on the internal market and also targeting non-EU countries”