Storage boost for EU citizens

Deprived EU citizens will receive huge tonnages of farm produce donated out of intervention storage by nine of the 15 member states.

This is the source from which organisations such as the Red Cross and food banks obtain a substantial part of their supplies for charitable distribution in Europe.

There is a budget of €175m for this purpose, which will finance distribution in 2004 of 281,000 tonnes of cereals, 99,227 tonnes of rice, 21,616 tonnes of butter, 17,295 tonnes of milk powder, and 53 tonnes of beef and veal. Ireland will contribute 60 tonnes of butter.