Report on food production prices

An MEP has warned that the food and farming sectors in the EU face "destruction" unless action is taken to tackle rising food production costs.

Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness spoke during a debate on 19 January 2012 on a report by the Agriculture Committee that raises concerns that EU farmers are increasingly unable to compete globally.

She urged the European Commission to tackle the "rotten" system of collusion amongst suppliers and retailers.

"If there is no co-operation then they should be prepared to face legislation," she warned.

The report's author, French green MEP and famer José Bové, claimed that the costs of farming products such as seeds and fertilisers were "skyrocketing", whilst prices received by farmers were "stagnating and in some cases falling".

"There can be no Europe without its farmers," he told the chamber.

Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani pointed to ongoing reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that is due to take effect from 2013.

This will see a phasing out of quotas in the dairy sector and increased competition to try to reduce production costs.

Mr Tajani said the Commission was ready to carry out research to investigate rising costs of land rental and its impact on the farming sector.

However the Commissioner was attacked by Dutch centre-right MEP Esther de Lange.

"If you had done your job properly, we wouldn't be in this situation. We talk about fair trade with the third world, but fair trade should start at home," she said.

The report was formally adopted by MEPs at the daily voting session later in the day.

Useful links:

Democracy Live's guide to how the plenary sessions work.

A disclaimer on the use of simultaneous interpretations, on the European Parliament's website.