Murcian growers have welcomed new measures announced by the European Commission to compensate fruit producers following Russia’s decision to extend its ban on EU-grown fruits and vegetables for another year.
The move extends rules allowing the withdrawal of produce for free distribution to charitable organisations and other purposes as well as the so-called 'non-harvesting' and 'green harvesting' measures to 30 June 2016.
The quota allows for a total of 755,000 tonnes of fruit to be withdrawn by member states that have exported significant quantities to Russia in the past three years. Spain will be allowed to withdraw 129,350 tonnes – the second largest amount after Poland. This includes 55,450 tonnes of citrus, 38,400 tonnes of peaches and nectarines, 22,900 tonnes of vegetables, 7,600 tonnes of apples and pears and 5,000 tonnes of plums, table grapes and kiwifruit.
Praising the efforts of table grape and stonefruit grower-exporter association Apoexpa to protect the interests of its members, Fermín Sánchez, managing director of Gruventa said:
“The widening of the aid package to include stonefruit is a very positive development for Murcia’s fresh produce industry.”
