MAGAZINE - Copa-Cogeca

16 │ April 2012
Copa-Cogeca calls for private storage
aid for olive oil to be opened and for
long-term strategic plan for sector
In a bid to alleviate the crisis on the EU olive oil market,
Copa-Cogeca sent a letter to the EU Commission in March
calling for private storage for olive oil to be opened for at
least an additional 100, 000 tonnes of extra virgin olive oil
and virgin olive oil.
Chairman of Copa-Cogecas’ Olive Oil Working Party
Rafael Sanchez de Puerta stressed “The latest tendering
procedure for aid for private storage of olive oil showed
that there are still large quantities of virgin olive oil and
extra virgin olive oil which urgently need to be taken off
the market immediately. Prices remain very low at the
moment and below the trigger price for activation of
private storage. If no action is taken, they will plummet
further”.
“In many production regions, there is also severe drought
which is expected to cut olive oil production for the new
campaign. The stored quantities will consequently enable
a smooth transition into the new campaign to maintain
the level of supply and to ensure market balance”, he
added.
Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen continued
“To help prevent such serious disturbances from
happening again in the future, we urge the EU Commission
to develop a Strategic Plan for the sector. This crop is vital
for the main producing countries – Spain, Italy, Greece,
Portugal, France – in terms of maintaining employment
in their rural areas. We are pleased that the Commission
plans to make the food chain work better and reinforce
producers bargaining power”.
The EU Commission has announced that they will present
an economic study and on the basis of the findings they
hope to be able to start discussing concrete ideas to
address certain structural issues facing the sector in the
coming months. Copa-Cogeca looks forward to examining
the study and debating ideas to help improve the sector.
Copa-Cogeca
61, Rue de Trèves
B - 1040 Bruxelles
Telephone 00 32 (0) 2 287 27 11
Telefax 00 32 (0) 2 287 27 00
www.copa-cogeca.eu