European agriculture ministers in the European Union (EU) were discussing on Monday in Brussels ways to cushion the impact of the Ukrainian conflict and boost production in the EU, in order to avoid food shortages in various regions of the world.
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Russia and Ukraine are two major exporters of cereals (particularly for animal feed) and fertilizers, and so the EU is now concentrating on measures to address the new scenario arising from the Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory.
Thus, the European Commission must present to the bloc ministers its suggestions to help farmers absorb the high cost of fuel, animal feed and fertilizer, French agriculture minister Julien Denormandie said Monday in Brussels.
Upon arriving at the venue of a meeting with his European counterparts, Denormandie said it was necessary to bear in mind that the war in Ukraine could cause “a food crisis on a global scale.”
“It is necessary to compensate for the loss of Ukrainian crops. The Commission's proposal would make it possible to temporarily recover the crop of 4 million hectares in the EU,” said Austrian Energy Minister Elisabeth Kostinger.
Official Kostinger said that “in the coming months of the year, and beyond, we must assume that there will be a shortage of cereals, which are very important for food aid worldwide”.
In addition, the Commission proposes to use a “crisis reserve”, a 450 million euro fund aimed at helping farmers in the event of price instability, and will present “a framework agreement that will also make additional aid possible” by the bloc states, Denormandie said.
Some of the States also question the European strategy called “From farm to table”, which aims, by 2030, to halve the use of pesticides, by 20% that of fertilizers, and dedicate a quarter of the land to organic farming.
Several studies under analysis at EU level point out that the application of these regulations will cause a significant drop in production.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned last week that in the face of this new scenario international grain and fertilizer prices could soar by between 8% and 22%.
High oil prices will only exacerbate the problem, and vulnerable countries will be the hardest hit, FAO warned.
The European Commission may delay the publication of proposals on sustainable farming and nature that had been expected this week, while the impact of the war in Ukraine on food supply has led some countries to resist reform.
The European Fee might delay the publication of proposals on sustainable farming and nature that had been anticipated this week, whereas the affect of the battle in Ukraine on meals provide has led some international locations to withstand reform.
he EU is overhauling all sectors to turn out to be greener, together with agriculture, which produces roughly 10% of EU greenhouse gasoline emissions. Brussels has mooted targets that embody halving chemical pesticide use by 2030, and is drawing up binding legal guidelines to make them a actuality.
Nevertheless, the European Fee is contemplating delaying two new proposals – binding targets to revive nature, and a extra sustainable pesticides regulation – which have been to have been made public on Wednesday.
EU officers have been anticipated to resolve on Monday on the timing of the proposals, that are competing for consideration with emergency plans on hovering power costs and meals provide, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drove up costs of wheat and barley and raised fears of shortages.
Russia and Ukraine make up greater than 30% of worldwide commerce in wheat and greater than 50% for sunflower oils, seeds and meals. The EU additionally imports important quantities of animal feed and fertilisers from the area.
EU farm ministers additionally gathered on Monday to debate measures to reply to the affect of the battle.
French agriculture minister Julien Denormandie stated it had led some international locations to query the transition to a brand new EU farming coverage, however that didn’t imply it mustn’t occur.
“Sure it is sophisticated, doing this transition, whereas making certain meals provide, nevertheless it’s not the case that we do not do it as a result of it is complicated,” Denormandie stated on arrival for the assembly.
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The Fee is contemplating measures to handle meals safety, akin to by permitting land mendacity fallow, a observe that permits the surroundings to recuperate between farming cycles, for use for crop manufacturing or animal grazing.
Farm Foyer Group Copa and Cogeca are asking to have the ability to domesticate all out there land in 2022 to compensate for the blockage of Russian and Ukrainian manufacturing.
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