Latest sugar plan blocked
EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel’s export plan was aimed at winning the support of Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal, which continue to oppose her reform proposals.
But it has been interpreted internationally as a breach of a WTO rule that the EU can export no more than 1.27m subsidised tonnes per year.
Commissioner Boel said she would also ask the WTO for the right to prevent developing countries’ sugar from swamping the EU market.
Her latest negotiation difficulties support industry estimates that it may be January at least before a new sugar regime is finally agreed.
Meanwhile, processing of a promising Irish beet crop, after fine summer weather, has started, with Irish Sugar agreeing an on-account price of €48/tonne at 16% sugar, plus an early delivery allowance reducing from €4.16 to €0.32 on October 1.
There was disappointment also at this week’s Council of Ministers meeting for beet growers hoping for compensation over and above the “cheque in the post” proposals to cease sugar beet production. At an inconclusive meeting, there were no public moves to increase the €730 per tonne of sugar offered by Brussels to Greencore.
Such an increase would be necessary to address the IFA’s claim for €143m of any compensation package that might arise from the closure of Irish Sugar, if Greencore decided to take that option.
