A report approved by MEPs today urging the EU Commission to do much more to help EU dairy farmers and to improve the difficult market situation is a good step forward, Copa and Cogeca said today.
The own initiative report on Prospects for the EU dairy sector was drawn up by MEP James Nicholson (ECR, UK) who warned that “the Commission has so far failed to recognize the scale of the new challenges the sector faces like the end of milk quotas, the recently prolonged Russian embargo on EU foodstuffs ad price volatility” and he called for action.
Welcoming the report, Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “It is a good step forward and addresses many of the issues we have been calling for”.
“The dairy sector is crucial for EU rural areas, especially less favoured areas, and makes a positive contribution to the EU’s trade balance of 7 billion euros. And I am glad that Mr Nicholson recognizes the positive long-term prospects for the sector. But producers are currently undergoing a very difficult situation. The report recognizes this and underlines that market volatility remains the main challenge to be tackled by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and that more realistic safety nets are needed to put an effective floor in the market”.
The report also highlights the important role cooperatives play in ensuring long-term stability for their members. Like Copa and Cogeca, it also urges the Commission to step up its efforts to find new outlets for our produce and ensure that the 2014/2015 700 million euros milk superlevy bill is returned to the dairy sector to help dairy farmers with their cash flow problems.
Wrapping up Mr Pesonen said “The market situation remains very uncertain for EU dairy producers and Copa and Cogeca call on the European Commission and Farm Ministers to be much more proactive in using tools to manage the market and not reactive to not worsen the situation. The serious cash flow problem will force milk producers to sell their cows or get out the business which is not the way forward with milk demand set to rise and when the dairy sector has so much to offer in terms of growth and creating jobs”.#dairyaction
