EU: Details on potential support for growers due to Russian import ban
The Delegated Commission Regulation has been circulated and will come into force Monday 1 September. This provides a maximum of €125m for certain types of fruit and vegetables: tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, sweet peppers, cauliflower & headed broccoli, cucumbers & gherkins, mushrooms, apples, pears, plums, soft fruit, table grapes, and kiwi fruit.
The budget is split €82m for apples and pears, €43m for everything else. This list was drawn up from the Commission’s own analysis of crops suffering market disturbance. The Commission has the power to add to it if the case is made.
The special support is to cover:
1. Withdrawals
2. For free distribution (to charities and schools)
3. Other (e.g. landfill)
4. Green harvesting
5. Non harvesting
Defra understand that free distribution can also undermine the market, but food for the needy is accepted EU policy that cannot be changed.
The Commission has set maximum levels of support for each type (in € per kg – see table below). Defra is still considering the rates that will apply in UK. Industry representatives argued that UK rates should not be set any lower than the maximum.
Support is not dependent on the product being destined for Russia.
The budget is finite. Everything has to be covered by prior notification, by grower to Member State, then by MS to Commission weekly. Commission will tell MS when it cannot accept any more notifications. The actual rates payable may be scaled back to accommodate notifications in the pipeline when the money runs out. No money will be paid out until the scheme closes on 30 November.
Click here to read the complete article at britishgrowers.org