Free peach distribution to socially vulnerable groups to begin shortly, minister says
The withdrawal of peaches through free distribution to socially vulnerable groups will begin soon, Rural Development and Food Minister Giorgos Karasmanis said after a meeting on Tuesday with producers who were left with excess peaches following the Russian embargo of EU imports.
The meeting between the ministry and producers was called to discuss the impact of the embargo on the Greek peach sector the EU measures to help producers. Alternate Rural Development Minister Paris Koukoulopoulos also attended.
In statements following the meeting, Karasmanis confirmed that the European Commission would pay 27 cents per kilo through producer groups and 13.5 cents per kilo for individual producers for withdrawn produce and said that he had spoken with EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos and requested additional measures, within EU rules.
Producers have said the unsold peaches total about 55,000 tonnes. The minister, who has called for registration of surpluses (on trees and in storage), said that if 10,000 tonnes were taken care of in an initial phase, it would relieve the glut in the market. The alternate minister added to this that Greece could handle, through alternative channels, up to 40,000 tonnes of the withdrawn fruit.
Northern Greece's Imathia prefecture, had, up to the middle of last week, 12,000 tonnes of unsold produce, with an additional 13,000 tonnes on trees. Over 4,000 tonnes were sold to other countries - Ukraine, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Baltic countries - for 30-35 cents per kilo, cooperatives head Christos Giannakakis told ANA-MPA.
He also said that if processed fruit (juice) was included in the free distribution, the problem would be resolved directly and more effectively, a proposal he hoped the ministry could convey to the European Commission for approval.
Source: ANA-MPA
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