Brussels: storage of dairy and buying up potatoes

After much deliberation, the European Commission has decided to open up the private storage scheme for meat and dairy products. Moreover, potatoes may be withdrawn from the market, while floriculture can also claim emergency support.

In total, Brussels is making an amount of around €80 million available for this. Janusz Wojciechowski, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, says that the consequences of the corona crisis are increasingly being felt and that support is therefore needed. This turns the Pole 180 degrees off course, because only recently he said that no extra money could be released for support.

Dairy, meat, potatoes and floriculture
For example, the European Commission is opening the private storage scheme (intervention) for butter, skimmed milk powder and cheese. Market parties can also store beef, sheep and goat meat for a fee. The period for this is a minimum of 2 to 3 months and a maximum of 5 to 6 months.

In addition, with great exceptions, the European dairy sector is given permission to coordinate production-limiting measures. The potato sector is given the opportunity to remove products from the market, as is the floriculture sector.

End of April 
The member states still have to approve the plans of the European Commission, but many countries are in favour. The aim is to have the scheme in place by the end of April. It also needs to be clearer about the concrete details of the plans. 

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Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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