Producers' federation Confagricoltura says that it is not yet possible to estimate the damage caused so far. 'After the hailstorms which battered Veneto and Lombardy, now Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and Marche are counting the cost,' the federation said in a statement. Meanwhile, in other parts of the country drought continues to be a serious problem. In some parts of the Mezzogiorno region, for example, water availability is only half what it was last year. 'Without being alarmist, we are facing an extremely serious situation which calls for extraordinary measures,' according to a Confagricoltura spokesperson. 'But the regulations in place are inadequate.' The federation is calling on government to review legislation passed in 1992 to deal with such emergencies as a matter of urgency. A maximum fund of ?35million is provided for under existing laws, but says the federation, much greater resources will be required to compensate growers for damage suffered and to get agricultural activity going again.

The federation said that precedents with the EU already exist for natural disasters suffered in France and Germany and some community funding should now be directed the way of the Italian growers in co-operation with Italian national and regional authorities.

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