500m euros pledged to farmers

The European Union decided on Monday to present a comprehensive package of measures worth 500 million euros ($560 million) to support farmers.

The decision follows Monday's protest in Brussels against falling meat and milk prices.

About 6,000 farmers and 2,000 tractors had rolled into Brussels and occupied Schuman Square as European agriculture ministers were meeting to try to come up with supportive measures.

A combination of factors, including changing dietary habits, slowing Chinese demand and a Russian embargo on Western products in response to sanctions over the Ukraine conflict, has pushed down prices for beef, pork and milk

Steidele Martha, 45, a farmer from Germany, said the price of milk was 40 cents per liter before, but now the price is 28 cents.

"So we cannot run the farm. We want new regulation of the milk market," Martha said.

Gabriel Joseph Menet, 57, a farmer from France, also complained that the price of milk is going down, as was the price of pork, lamb, and beef. "We want the price to go up again," he said.

The package was hammered out by the agriculture ministers from the 28 EU member states in an extraordinary meeting aiming to alleviate the crisis caused by Russian food bans.

"The package will allow for 500 million euros of EU funds to be used for the benefit of farmers immediately," European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said.

Described by the vice-president as "a robust and decisive response", the package will seek to help the farmers address cash-flow difficulties, stabilize markets and improve the functioning of the supply chain.

The most significant part of the package will be provided to all member states in envelopes to support the dairy sector, Katainen said. But the national distribution of the aid has not been finalized.

The EU has decided to allow member states to advance direct payments up to 70 percent from Oct 16.

Fu Jing in Brussels contributed to the story.

Xinhua - AFP

(China Daily 09/09/2015 page11)