Reacting to the European Parliaments vote on the EU fruit and vegetable regime, Copa-Cogeca has emphasised that producer organisations (POs) like cooperatives must continue to be the cornerstone of the regime.
“Producer organisations like cooperatives help producers to better market their produce and get a better price for it,' said Copa-Cogeca secretary general Pekka Pesonen.'Producers must be encouraged to join them in order to improve their positioning in the food chain. Rules need to be less complex, red tape cut and the legal framework regarding controls and penalties more predictable under the new CAP without touching the basic policy decisions of the 2013 reform before 2020. Training and exchanges of good practices should also be promoted where the level of producer organisations is low in a member state.
He continued “Producer organisations have a bigger role to play to enhance the bargaining power of growers. Incentives must be provided to promote the mergers of Producer Organisations (POs), AOPs and Transnational POs. Marketing standards also play an important role to ensure the quality of the products and the transparency of the markets for farmers and consumers and they must not be scrapped under the simplification agenda. They must remain in place.'
The move comes after the Agriculture committees vote on a report by MEP Nuna Melo from Portgual on implementation of provisions concerning producer organisations, operational funds and operational programmes in the EU fruit and vegetable sector since the 2007 reform.
