Fruit growers from Poland whose crops were struck by devastating frosts in early May will be able to count on support from the European Union, agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has indicated. The commissioner was speaking at a meeting of the committee on agriculture and rural development but said that levels of help will depend on official estimates of losses scheduled to be released by the Polish authorities by mid-June.

“The Hungarians have already released their estimates of damage but I believe this is still too soon and these figures many not be credible,” said Artur Krakowika, of the EU affairs office of the Polish farm ministry. “We are using our own internal systems to provide support to growers in the form of preferential loans but these cannot be accessed until damages have been accurately assessed.”

He added that as there are no measures provided for Poland’s situation in the EU fruit and vegetable regime, its officials will be negotiating hard with the European Commission to access aid.

Meanwhile, the agriculture committee of the European Parliament has adopted a report on the reform of the EU fruit and vegetable regime which includes a proposal to establish a new European fund to tackle crisis in the sector and an increase up to €37.5 million in aid for citrus producers.

Spanish MEP Esther Herranz drafted the recommendation in the face of increasing third country imports and pressure on the sector from a rationalized distribution chain. “The mechanisms used by the EU until now to confront these problems are totally ineffective. I sincerely hope that the EU Agriculture ministers will back this proposal,” she said.

Other proposals included several measures to stimulate product quality and promote products with certified designations of origin.

The European Parliament still has to approve this report during its plenary session in June.

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