Copa-Cogeca has welcomed a new commitment made by EU farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, to look at opening private storage for pigmeat in January for producers hit by the Russian ban.
The commitment, which also included a pledge to look at export promotion initiatives, emerged during yesterday’s EU farm ministers’ meeting in Brussels when Commissioner Hogan announced plans to extend EU fruit and vegetable support until next June 2015.
Copa-Cogeca, in welcoming this move, added that it also actively supported Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, France, Hungary, Poland and Romania in “calls to open private storage for pigmeat”.
“The market has been suffering for months and prices are at an all-time low, yet no action has been taken,” said Copa-Cogeca’s Albert Jan Maat, speaking before Mr Hogan’s subsequent commitment to look at the situation in January.
“Pork producers and cooperatives feel like they have been left out in the cold,” continued Mr Matt. “With the loss of our most import export market for these products, we urgently need support to find new market outlets for produce, while also removing sanitary barriers and other unnecessary obstacles to trade. Promotion campaigns must also be set up.”
The organisation later issued a brief comment, welcoming the commissioner’s positive response to the plight of Europe’s pig farmers.