The European dairy crisis has worsened, immediate treatment is needed

(Photo: AM)

The Minister said: the agenda of the meeting, which will last until the night, includes numerous issues, which clearly shows that European agriculture is in a difficult situation. Hungary also requested the discussion of two agenda items, including the immediate treatment of the dairy market crisis.

István Nagy reminded: Hungary had already put the problem on the agenda at the December meeting, but the situation has worsened since then

The purchase price of milk has fallen from 53 cents to around 20 cents, which is causing serious problems in several member states. He stressed that Hungary is requesting immediate assistance and is calling for the opening of the private storage institution for cheese and butter, as well as for the provision of subsidies that will help producers through the difficult period. “Dairy farmers are very important players in Hungarian agriculture, which is why we will fight for them,” he said. The minister recalled that in December, the European Commission’s EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, promised to examine the situation, but now, due to the deteriorating market conditions, Hungary is putting the matter on the agenda again. He highlighted that Italy has also requested the discussion of the milk situation as a separate agenda item, which indicates that this is an EU-level problem.

István Nagy also spoke about Hungary’s joint action with Poland, Slovakia and Austria in the context of the Mercosur agreement for the sake of market protection

As he said, they consider it necessary to establish a compensation fund to support sensitive sectors, from which the affected farmers could be helped. The Minister stressed that Hungary intends to prevent the provisional entry into force of the Mercosur agreement until the member states ratify it. He also drew attention to the fact that the European Parliament has taken the matter to court and that no final position has yet been reached. According to the Minister, the EU budget and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will also be discussed at the Council meeting. Hungary’s position has not changed: it insists that the CAP resources remain in a separate, two-pillar system, with adequate financing and predictability, because this is the only way to protect European farmers against the effects of free trade agreements. István Nagy also mentioned that in connection with the meeting, they will consult with EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi on the issue of veterinary and phytosanitary controls. He stressed that complete security would be achieved if the European Union only allowed products to enter its market that are subject to the same production rules and conditions as EU farmers.

AM/MTI