The European Commission has revealed that it intends to adopt additional emergency market measures for perishable fruit and vegetables in response to the market disturbances caused by the Russian ban on imports of certain EU agricultural products.
The additional measures will reportedly run until the end of June 2015.
The scheme allows a certain volume of particular fruit and vegetables in specific member states to be withdrawn from the market. The quantities will be based on volumes exported to Russia during the January-to-June period over the last three years.
Withdrawals are eligible for free distribution (which is 100 per cent EU-funded), non-food use such as composting (with a lower rate of EU support), and green-harvesting or non-harvesting (for which the support level is slightly lower still).
On the proposal, EU agricultural commissioner Phil Hogan commented: 'The emergency measures have helped ease the market pressure for fruit and vegetable growers following the Russian ban. However, a downward pressure on prices persists for some products in some regions of the EU. Therefore it is necessary to provide continued support for the sector also in the New Year, as a safety net for growers who have not been able to find alternative outlets so far.'
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