EU-AGRICULTURE/PROTEST Farmers protest low milk and pork prices outside EU institutions

Record ID: 141640

  • Title: EU-AGRICULTURE/PROTEST Farmers protest low milk and pork prices outside EU institutions
  • Date: 7th September 2015
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (SEPTEMBER 7, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE EU COUNCIL BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2483W9OEM85L09WC0CVOO8BF5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Some 3000 farmers gathered in Brussels on Monday (September 7) to protest against low selling prices as EU agriculture ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue.
    The farmers, originating mostly from Belgium, France and Germany, say that purchasing prices for dairy, pork, beef, fruits and vegetables do not cover their costs and call for action from EU institutions and member states.
    One of the organisers, union Copa and Cogeca blames Russian import restrictions for the price fall and calls on the European Commission to compensate producers for their losses.
    Speaking ahead of the agriculture ministers' meeting, Luxembourg's Agriculture Minister Fernand Etgen said he hoped new Commission proposals would help producers.
    "We hope that concrete measure proposals from the Commission and constructive dialogue will help, we will try to improve the situation for producers," said Etgen, whose country currently holds the presidency of the EU.
    The farmers, many of whom departed from various Belgian cities in the early morning on tractors, gathered outside EU institutions from around 0900 GMT where heavily equipped police, anti-riot police and a water-cannon awaited them.
    As EU agriculture ministers are set to discuss the troubled livestock industry, France will call for a rise in the minimum price for milk, export incentives and a lifting of Russia's embargo on pork imposed last year after an outbreak of African swine fever in the east of the EU.
    France has found some support from fellow EU members in southern Europe for more action to help dairy farmers, given a severe market downturn.
    But European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has warned against going back on market reforms, and French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll failed on Monday to agree on specific proposals with his German counterpart ahead of the EU meeting.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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