Fruit producers from a dozen European countries which are affected by Russia’s import ban will be entitled to a share of €70 million from the European Commission.
The measures were first introduced by the Commission in the wake of the Russian import ban in August 2014. Last week Russia extended a ban on Western food imports for another 18 months in response to the EU decision to continue sanctions against the country.
The funding aims to provide a safety net for producers who might not find a market outlet for their products as a result of Russia’s import ban.
It will compensate European fruit farmers who choose for example to distribute their excess products to organisations like charities and schools or make use of it for other purposes such as animal feed, composting or processing.
Commissioner for agriculture and rural development Phil Hogan said: “The Commission has done everything in its power to support European producers negatively affected by the Russian ban. This latest extension sends yet another clear signal that we will remain firmly and fearlessly on the side of our farmers.
“These support measures go hand in hand with our ongoing work to modernise and simplify the CAP for the benefit of both our farmers and our wider European society.”
The EU claimed that most of the production affected by the Russian import ban has been redirected to alternative markets and that prices have stabilised.
However, since so-called permanent crops (fruit trees) are less able to adapt to changing situations, the new measures are specifically designed to help this sector.
The scheme covers a maximum quantity of 165,835 tonnes of fruit, shared between four different types of trees: apples and pears; plums; citrus fruits; and peaches and nectarines.
The measures cover 12 member states: Belgium, Germany, Greece, France, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Cyrus, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland and Portugal.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024