Red tape 'stops farmers tackling food shortages'

Europe’s farmers could respond to international food shortages and soaring prices if they were unshackled from the Common Agricultural Policy, a British MEP said today.

Neil Parish said farmers were “champing at the bit” to produce more food but were hampered by red tape.

He said a tonne of wheat cost €89 three years ago compared with €269 today.

“This rapid price rise is causing concern around the world with Argentina slapping huge export taxes on its agricultural production, and politicians in Europe, including both the French and German agricultural ministers, calling for a return to direct subsidies for food production,” he said.

Mr Parish went on: “We have sleepwalked into this, our farmers have been champing at the bit to produce food for the last twenty years, but they have been stifled by the bureaucracy of the CAP.

“We need to free our farmers from government interference, and allow them to do what they do best, producing food. The market price now provides a huge incentive for farmers and if we reduce bureaucracy and red tape, farmers will meet the challenge of producing more food and they would be absolutely delighted to do so. They have been waiting to do it for 20 years.”

The call came as Europe’s Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson urged the World Trade Organisation to act against unilateral export curbs triggered by the food crisis in some countries.

“If we restrict trade, we’re simply going to add food scarcity to the already large problems of food shortages that exist in different countries” Mr Mandelson told Reuters news agency while visiting Tokyo.

“The WTO stands for free trade. It needs to exert its pressure and influence to reduce tariffs and thereby encourage trade” went on Mr Mandelson.

“It’s also got to stand up against export restrictions, export taxes, which too will stop the free flow of trade in foodstuffs and agricultural produce.”

The Commissioner said an international response was needed instead of a series of unilateral national measures

Yesterday the Commission pledged nearly £100m (€124m) in aid to help people worst hit by soaring food prices.

European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel described the spiralling cost of basic food as “a worldwide humanitarian disaster in the making”.