EU farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, has outlined the 2016 programme he is planning in an attempt to “open new markets” for EU producers.
Describing his schedule as a “diplomatic offensive” the commissioner is set to lead a business delegation to Colombia and Mexico in February, following this with visits to key markets such as China, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia, later in the year.
Writing his first weekly blog of the year, Mr Hogan (pictured above) said that he hoped 2016 would be “peaceful and prosperous” for producers, in contrast to the “challenging year” that 2015 was for many European farm families.
“The impact of global oversupply in dairy products and pigmeat, the impact of the Russian ban and lower demand in large markets such as China, all contributed to making 2015 a volatile year for producers,” he said.
Referring specifically to the pigmeat sector, he added that he hoped the week-old private storage aid scheme would help producers by taking product off the market and that it would provide the sector with a “vital safety net” this year.
“In conclusion,” he wrote, “2016 will continue to see me placing an emphasis on driving jobs and growth and boosting exports.
“The new CAP is more than ever a policy for all the citizens of Europe and as European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, I will continue to work hard to ensure that the CAP fits for the people of Europe.”