The European Union is setting aside 125 million euros (168 million dollars) to assist farmers whose fruit and vegetables have been hit by a Russian import ban, the bloc’s executive announced on Monday.
Moscow imposed the ban on EU agricultural products in response to EU economic sanctions targeting Russian banks and the defence and energy sectors. These followed the downing of an airliner over a part of eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian rebels on July 17, in which all 298 people on board died.
The European Commission’s emergency measures initially apply to tomatoes, carrots, white cabbage, peppers, cauliflowers, cucumbers, gherkins, mushrooms, apples, pears, red fruits, table grapes and kiwis.
Farmers will be eligible to request EU support “as and when price pressures become too great,” said EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos. The aim is to prevent an oversupply, so prices “don’t drop to crisis levels,” added his spokesman Roger Waite.
“Russia is the main export market for many fruits and vegetables in full harvesting season just as this import ban against EU products was announced,” the commission said in a statement.
“The impact is beginning to be felt. Farmers and exporters could not plan for this and will clearly not all find sufficient alternative markets in time,” it wrote.
The commission will pay eligible farmers the full price for fruit and vegetables which it will then distribute free of charge. It can also compensate them for not harvesting their produce, or for doing so before it is ripe, according to Waite.
The measure, funded by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, is in place until the end of November.
EU agriculture ministers are also due to discuss the Russian import ban at an extraordinary meeting on September 5.
GNA
PDC
