A Lea Valley MP has warned that some salad growers are on the verge of bankruptcy following the German E. coli outbreak.
Harlow MP Robert Halfon has already tabled an early day motion in support of UK cucumber growers and called for greater government commitment. He told FPJ: “I have spoken to cucumber growers and there are some that are on the verge of bankruptcy in the Lea Valley.
“Across Britain growers are suffering from a 30 to 50 per cent fall in sales. This is affecting indirect suppliers too. I have written to [farming minister] Jim Paice and spoken to his parliamentary private secretary to urge a meeting.”
DEFRA has published arrangements for UK growers to apply for support under the new EU scheme to compensate them. The scheme, worth €210 million across the EU, is only open to growers of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, capsicum and courgettes and applies to products withdrawn from sale from 18 to 30 June. Applications must be made by 30 June.
FPC is continuing to press for compensation for all affected UK businesses in the supply chain.
The Rural Payments Agency will then provide information about the quantities of products withdrawn in the UK to the European Commission on 18 July.
Rates of aid for the UK are a maximum per 100kg of €33.20 for tomatoes, €38.90 for lettuce and curly and broad-leaf endive, €24 for cucumbers, €44.40 for capsicum and €29.60 for courgettes. FPC CEO Nigel Jenney was due in Brussels this week to discuss compensation.
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